Ada police begin take-home car program

ADA, Okla. (KTEN) — An Ada police officer received the keys to the department's first take-home car on Tuesday afternoon.

Throughout the rest of the year, a total of eight vehicles will join the program.

"It'll help with a lot of things," said Capt. Brad Rhoads. "This way, I'll make it to work and be ready to go right when I get here."

Over the next four years, each Ada officer will have an issued vehicle to use while on- and off-duty.

"You'll see more police cars throughout the City of Ada," said Chief Carl Allen. "If they run to the store or wherever, there is a police car with an officer in it "

"Having these vehicles available allows patrol officers to respond from their house when necessary, or if we see something when we are out, we can take action as necessary," Rhoads added.

Currently, three to four police officers are assigned to each patrol car.

"This should save on maintenance," Chief Allen said. "Even though there are a lot more vehicles, they are not being operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So if the department as a whole, say, does 2,000 miles in a week, instead of eight cars getting 2,000 miles, it's going to be 34 [cars]."

Allen said having more police cars should also extend the longevity of each vehicle.

"If we did it all at once, then they would wear out all at once," he said. "So we do it over about a four-year process, and that allows us to implement it pretty slowly, and then have some time in between when the cars start wearing out."