Q: Why do Parkesburg police officers park their cars in front of the police station and why do officers leave the car running while they are in the station house?
A: The answer to the first part of the question is simplicity and speed. Officers entering the station from the back of the station must pass through several doors to access their work area. When they park their cars in the front of the building their work area inside the building is just one door and a few steps away. Officer’s proximity to their cars allows them to respond faster when an emergency happens or a resident needs help.
Why do officers leave the car's engine running while working in the station? The answer is because the sophisticated electronics that are standard equipment in each police cruiser. 911 calls dispatching officers are no longer transmitted via two way radio. Instead call details are transmitted to an officer via the laptop computer mounted on every cruiser’s dash. Since the computer take three or four minutes to boot, turning the computer off when not being used is not an option. And leaving the computer on but turning the car off would drain the car’s battery in 10 minutes.
Have a question about something you see in town? Drop me a note and I'll get the answer.
1 comment:
Last night someone lacking the backbone to identify himself asked the question, "Why are the "sophisticated electronics" (ie a laptop) not sophisticated enough to have a battery in them?"
Chief Sheller responded by saying the computers are direct wired to the vehicle and only have a very minimal battery life. The overall electrical system prevents running on battery alone. Our current laptops are in the process of being upgraded, County-wide, because of their age and numerous issues in programming.
Thanks Chief!
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