Police patrol vehicle breakdowns: The effect on the cost of police service

The results of a simulation of the breakdown of police patrol vehicles in a city of 175,000 population is examined. If a patrol vehicle must be removed from service in order to repair mechanical defects, the quality of police service will not be at the desired (planned) level. In effect, police officers are being paid during a time when they are unable to deliver services—the time during which they are absent from their assigned patrol as a result of the failure of their vehicle. Given the high cost of fielding a police patrol car around the clock, time lost due to mechanical failure can be very costly. The patrol vehicle breakdowns were simulated under several assumptions and for several policies. The magnitude of the implicit cost of lost patrol time due to vehicle breakdowns suggests that investment in a preventive maintenance program may be worthwhile. Furthermore, simple policy changes may result in substantial savings.