I wish someone would give me a car to take my kids to daycare an whatnot, even better if it has cool toys

PoPo Repo?

I thought it was illegal to leave a car unattended with its ignition on. It's certainly world-class stupid (not that there's anything wrong with that). Why would you do that? Cars need a few seconds of warmup, tops.

While we're on cars, though, one question for the cognoscenti amongst us: is it legal to drive without an odometer? My digital odometer seems to have crapped out -- the trip odometer is stuck on 0.0 and the cumulative one suddenly registers a bizarre figure like 847983, an increase of about 800,000 miles over reality. Speedometer still works, so I'm imagining it's not a cheap mechanical problem but, rather, a wildly overpriced computer repair being required here ... but I don't ever plan on selling my car. Could I sell it "as is" with a broken odometer? Am I breaking the law if I just keep driving?
Car's a Saturn, if that matters.

So much for the safety of moving to the suburbs like Damascus. I'll be waiting to hear the story on this one. It should be entertaining.

Why isn't the Trib asking "Since when do city employees get city cars to haul their kids around?"

Thats the real story here.

Yet again the thugs in blue are "special" and the standards that apply to the rest of society don't apply to them.

When you get done with the kvetching, make a donation here and do something positive:

Z-Man Scholarship Fund

Hehe. I don't have the numbers at hand, but that won't stop me from saying it anyway. I know that about 15 years ago, when we bought the cops their now-aging GM rides, that the mods to those cars ran about $120k-a-pop. What's that number now? Notice too there was no tactical inventory reported on by the Trib? Were there weapons, and other gear, in this vehicle when it was absconded with?

Vance, the article says there were no weapons in the vehicle, although it does have lights and siren.

At least it was stolen in Damascus. I'd heard the Portland Police long ago gave up on actively searching for stolen cars.

I thought it was illegal to leave a car unattended with its ignition on.

Why the heck would that be illegal?

I think because it contributes to car thefts.

Ah, the Google comes to the rescue again, I wasn't imagining this:

Leaving a car unattended gets you a ticket? January 30, 2007 at 6:58 pm by Michael Huber, timesunion.com

According to New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law 1210, “No person driving or in charge of a motor vehicle shall permit it to stand unattended without first stopping the engine, locking the ignition, removing the key from the vehicle, and effectively setting the brake.”

Florida:

BTW, this what the actual statute says: 316.1975 Unattended motor vehicle.--

(1) A person driving or in charge of any motor vehicle may not permit it to stand unattended without first stopping the engine, locking the ignition, and removing the key. A vehicle may not be permitted to stand unattended upon any perceptible grade without stopping the engine and effectively setting the brake thereon and turning the front wheels to the curb or side of the street. A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.

(2) This section does not apply to the operator of:

(a) An authorized emergency vehicle while in the performance of official duties and the vehicle is equipped with an activated antitheft device that prohibits the vehicle from being driven;

(b) A licensed delivery truck or other delivery vehicle while making deliveries; or

(c) A solid waste or recovered materials collection vehicle while collecting such items.

History.--s. 1, ch. 71-135; s. 1, ch. 76-31; ss. 3, 148, ch. 99-248; s. 103, ch. 2002-20; s. 2, ch. 2002-23.

Note.--Former s. 316.097.

Last modified: November 21, 2006

George -

Oregon law appears to be different.

See, ORS 811.585.

811.585 Failure to secure motor vehicle; affirmative defense; penalty. (1) A person commits the offense of failure to secure a motor vehicle if the person is driving or is in charge of a motor vehicle and:

(a) The person permits the vehicle to stand unattended on a highway without first doing all of the following:

(A) Stopping the engine.

(B) Turning the front wheels to the curb or side of the highway when standing upon any grade.

(C) Locking the ignition.

(D) Removing the key from the ignition.

(E) Effectively setting the brake on the vehicle; or

(b) The person is the owner of an unattended motor vehicle parked on a highway in violation of paragraph (a) of this subsection.

(2) It is an affirmative defense to a prosecution of the owner of a vehicle under subsection (1)(b) of this section that the use of the vehicle was not authorized by the owner, either expressly or by implication.

(3) The offense described in this section, failure to secure a motor vehicle, is a Class D traffic violation. [1983 c.338 §676; 1985 c.16 §326; 1987 c.687 §7; 1995 c.383 §81]

Oregon law seems to be limited to leaving a car running with keys in it on;y ona public street. It apparent;y is OK wiyh the Legislature if you ddo it in your driveway.

Hmmm... if this moron got disciplined, I can just bet the union would be whining and crying and threatening because cops should not be subject to rules ... they should use city cars for personal business and they can not take care of their employer's property... oh wait don't the feds have some charge like "theft of honest services" that covers dishonest behavior by employees?

Maybe Randy Leonard was just borrowing the unmarked vehicle. He wanted to run around on some police calls. Just like McMillan & Wife (oops, maybe just McMillan then)