Patrol car shortage on Long Island?

wabc

By abc7NY

Monday, January 5, 2009

NASSAU COUNTY The newspaper says the shortage sometimes forces officers to double up, meaning one car is assigned to patrol an area usually monitored by two.

Police officials acknowledged the shortage to the paper, adding that nearly a third of all patrol cars are out of service at any given time. But they said that the shortage was not as severe as the union contends.

Police Commissioner Lawrence Mulvey told the paper he has ordered that some unmarked cars be painted the color of patrol vehicles and equipped with emergency lights.

Though County Executive Thomas Suozzi has included money to buy dozens of cars each year in his capital budget, but the deadline to approve that budget passed on December 15.

Budget talks continue in the Legislature, but those discussions historically have continued into the spring of the following year.

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