Should police officers be allowed to use tobacco products in police vehicles?
About four years ago, my department issued a new order stating that all tobacco products are now banned from use inside police vehicles. Their idea was a better resale value in a used police car. But, exactly who buys used police cars? Most are located on Tow The Note lots or as taxi cabs, driven by people who are smokers. anyway, why would a person buy a used police car in the first place? Most have been mechanically updated through the years, but some smell terrible inside and have at least 100,000 miles on them. So, what’s your opinion? Should officers be allowed to smoke and/or use tobacco products in police vehicles?
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16 Answers
No…and not for resale value of the vehicle reasons either. Aside from the fact that I pay for that vehicle, I pay their salary, I pay for their health insurance and I am not on board someone intentionally hurting their health while on the job that I am paying them to do. Smoking is one of the most self destructive things you could do to yourself which will cause major very expensive health issues later on in their lives again which I will have to cover the cost on. Plus I am a firm proponent in Police Officers setting examples for my children and seeing a Cop smoke or chew is not the example I want set for my kids!
Well.
1) I don’t get why anyone would want to smoke in the first place.
2) I think that someone who needs to stay in top physical condition (like an officer) especially shouldn’t be smoking.
3) Smoking while driving sounds like an unsafe distraction.
4) I think smoking while driving sets a bad example. Like someone mentioned in another police-related question yesterday, police officers are supposed to be “better citizens”. They’re supposed to set good examples. Being a distracted driver doesn’t sound like being a better citizen. I also wouldn’t want cops to be texting while driving.
So no, I don’t think they should be allowed to smoke while driving.
Also, buying used cop cars doesn’t sound like a bad idea. They’re pretty safe cars, right? And after all that use and abuse, I bet they have to sell fairly cheap.
No, and while I won’t belabor the point that I think anyone should be smoking anywhere, I believe it’s particularly important for police officers to set good examples for other citizens. Furthermore, the use of tobacco products can be distracting while driving.
But I think it’s fair and reasonable of the department to request that police officers do not smoke in the cars, simply because they are the ones who actually own the car, and the cars are visibly marked as belonging to the police force.
Think of the person having to be thrown in the back of the car. Having to smell that nasty stuff and die of second hand smoke.
Their job is stressful enough.Perhaps they should blaze a fattie instead XD
@Frenchfry -LOL! The drug enforcement agent I dated ,did! Once in awhile,he’d take an oxygen break! and no,I was never much of a pothead
If the cars are not theirs to own, then no.
No. It is bad enough to have to smell that if you are a non-smoker. More than one officer uses the cars.
@Cruiser I never needed weed to act the way I do DX
I think smoking on the job undermines both the professional appearance officers of the law should project and their responsibility as role models.
I don’t think they should be smoking in their cars either. I agree with everything @Cruiser and @iphigeneia said about it and also that people should not have to be exposed to second hand smoke while in a public vehicle (and cop cars are public vehicles since they are owned by the state/county and not the individual cop driving them).
Lets see. NO!
The cruse is your office, making it a county office.
If they ride alone, why not?
in my county, officers are not allowed to use any tobacco product in squad cars or in public. part of our general orders.
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