4-401 - Vehicle Responsibility

4-401 - Vehicle Responsibility

Purpose

To define responsibility for the assignment, use, and operation of MPD vehicles and ensure they are used safely, lawfully, and only by authorized personnel.

Policy

  1. The MPD Fleet Manager shall administer vehicle assignments.
  2. Commanders and Inspectors are responsible for authorizing the use of assigned vehicles within their commands.
  3. Members who are authorized to drive MPD vehicles are responsible for the proper use and parking of vehicles assigned to them.
  4. Police vehicles shall only be operated by authorized personnel in a safe and lawful manner.
 

Definitions

Refer to the Commonly Used Terms page for general definitions.

  • Police Vehicles:
    1. Fully Marked Squad Car: Any vehicle used by the MPD that has clearly identifying police markings, emergency lights visible from front, sides and rear, siren, and a manufacturer's rating to make it suitable for pursuits. Currently, the Ford Crown Victoria, Ford Police Interceptor SUV, Chevrolet Caprice, and the Chevy Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicle (PPV) are the only vehicles in the MPD Fleet with such a rating.
    2. Low Profile Squad Car: Any vehicle used by the MPD that has a permanent or temporary MPD door marking, emergency lights visible from front, sides and rear, siren, and a manufacturer's rating to make it suitable for pursuits.
    3. Unmarked Squad Car: Any vehicle used by the MPD not clearly identified with a shield, logo or department name that has emergency lights visible from the front, sides and rear, and a manufacturer’s rating to make it suitable for pursuits.

Document History:

Title Effective Date Revision Type Download
4-401 - Vehicle Responsibility 01-01-2026 download PDF
4-401 - Vehicle Responsibility 03-04-2025

Edited - Major

download PDF
4-401 - Vehicle Responsibility 05-24-2013

download PDF

Revision Types and Descriptions

  • New: Policy had been added.
  • Combined: Two or more policies were merged.
  • Definitions Update: A glossary definition was updated.
  • Terms Update: A term, not necessarily tied to the glossary, was updated in the Manual.
  • Edited - Major: Significant content or procedural changes.
  • Edited - Minor: Small edits, clarifications, or formatting changes.
  • Renamed: Policy title changed.
  • Renumbered: Policy number was changed.
  • Split: Single policy was divided into multiple.
  • Eliminated: Policy was removed and is no longer in effect.
  • PRH Implementation: Edits for the Policy and Resource Hub; no content changes.