St. Charles Considers Rule Revision on Take-Home Police Cars

will consider a request on Tuesday to allow St. Charles Police Officers who are members of the Special Response Team to take home a police vehicle if they live within a 30 mile radius of the city. 

Currently, only officers who live within St. Charles city limits, K9 officers, and the chief of police are allowed to take home a car. 

Interim Police Chief Larry Stulce has said the change would allow officers to respond more quickly to calls while off duty. Initially, the council balked at the request which did not put a geographic barrier on the rule.

During the city council work session July 17, several members said they'd feel more comfortable if there was some sort of geographic boundary. 

According to Stulce of the 13 members of the SRT, two live in St. Charles, one is a K9 officer, one lives in Jefferson County and the rest live in St. Charles County. 

The council discussed the possibility of limiting it to allowing SRT officers who live in St. Charles County to take home vehicles, but Councilman Mike Klinghammer, Ward-8, pointed out Wentzville is about 24 miles from St. Charles, while St. Ann is about 7 miles away. 

"I don't want to base it on people who are there now," Councilman Dave Beckering, Ward-7 said. "This thing is going to transcend for the next decade."

Councilman Ron Weller, Ward-5, submitted a new ordinance change that would allow SRT officers to bring home the car if they live within 30 miles of the municipal boundaries of the city.

The council could vote on the issue during the July 24 meeting.