I don't think it needs to be left running because of the expensive equipment. There are several police cars parked and turned off when the officers are off duty. I have seen them take lunch breaks at schools with their children and the cars are turned off and out in the heat. I see them parked around the safety bunker downtown, turned off, and in the heat. Even at the grocery store you can find those cars parked, engine turned off, even when dealing with an issue inside. Sorry, but that equipment argument doesn't work.

If this indeed has truly been observed my guess is it was somebody who decided that he/she needed to enter a cool car after being done shopping. Is definitely better for those frozen groceries. He/she also seems to believe that nobody would take a police car for a joyride. Like everywhere else it's one person making bad choices ruining it for everybody else.

Well said, Jewel. Everyone loves the firefighters and the only ones that loves police are when they come to help when someone needs their assistance. For example, car accident, car needs unlocked, someone stole your kids bike, someone breaks into your house, your house alarm goes off, traffic light goes out, kids lighting off fireworks on the 4th of July, some door to door salesman, etc.

It's the police, believe it or not, they do more than just pull people over like everyone thinks.

I'm so tired of the small minded, uneducated cop haters who have nothing better to do than criticize the good men and women who serve this city-including your OWN stupid butt. If you're so freaking concerned about the recession why don't you DO something constructive about it rather than verbally bash the police?

To say nothing of the thousands of dollars of equipment they have to keep cool and ready, or the fact that having police cars visible about the community deters criminals... no, you cop haters have nothing better to do than criticize them with no idea what goes into their job. Just because you pay taxes (if that's true!) does not make you an expert in police work and what goes into it.

Nobody ever posts anything about the firefighters grocery shopping in the firetrucks, leaving the engines running and the AC on the entire time. No, because you trust the firefighters to do their job and know their job better than you.

Same with the police. It takes an extraordinary individual to be a cop or a firefighter, to say nothing of the endless training. A sincere dislike and disdain for cops seems to be a running theme with this town and that's just dense.

So mind your own business. If you ever have to put a call into the police and seconds matter, perhaps you will be a little more understanding. But with your sour, cop hating attitude I sincerely doubt it.

The important issue is you should NEVER get out of a car and leave it running. It's just unsafe! I mean, doesn't anyone in this town have any COMMON SENSE anymore. Any public official should know that and should do their best to be an example of a "good" citzen. Just ask the prosecutor that was found drunk and passed out in a neighbor's trashcan in Indiana. Come on people! Just because their cops doesn't excuse them from stupidity.

Many of the on-duty police officers get their lunch from the Kroger salad bar.

If the policeman is anything like me, a simple "trip to the salad bar" ends up in $30 of groceries you forgot the last time you visited. ;)

I agree, cut the cars off and save gas, we are in a recession!!!!!!! Police waste a lot of gas. They wouldn't do that in their own vehicles because the money would then come from their deep pockets. As long as Mr. Taxpayer pays for everything they have, including gas, they will spend, spend, spend our money without a second thought about it. SPOILED ROTTEN they are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

An office job at Kroger huh. Yeah, that sounds reasonable. This story is total BS.

Does that justify them to waste money?

Am I allowed to spray paint the capital building

because I pay the taxes that help

to keep it up?

Your reasoning is illogical.

Last time I checked police officers pay taxes as well.

Okay I'm over it I got my mileage out of that joke.
No

harm no foul. I will start behaving.