City of Pawtucket, RI Article II Use of City-Owned Vehicles

[Approved 10-17-1967 by Ch. No. 1135 as Secs. 2-58 through 2-61 of the 1966 Code; amended in its entirety 3-12-2009 by Ch. No. 2906; 4-21-2016 by Ch. No. 3097]

§ 63-3 Restrictions on use.

A. Authorized positions.

(1) Automobiles shall be provided to the following City positions, and the vehicles will be allowed to be garaged at the residence of the assigned individual after established work hours:

(a) The Mayor/Director of Public Safety.

(b) The Police Chief.

(c) Majors of the Police Department.

(d) The Animal Control Officer or his/her designee.

(e) The Fire Chief.

(f) The Director of Public Works.

(g) The Director of Emergency Management.

(2) In addition, for police matters only, the Chief of Police shall be empowered to authorize additional use of police vehicles to be garaged at the home of Police Department personnel for a finite period of time.

(3) In addition, the Chief of Fire shall be empowered to authorize the use of no more than five additional fire vehicles, which may be assigned to the Captain and Lieutenants who work in the Fire Prevention Bureau. If assigned said vehicles will be allowed to be garaged at the residence of the assigned individuals after established work hours. The Chief of Fire shall have the discretion to determine from time to time the appropriate number of vehicles assigned and authorized to be taken home.

[Added 6-22-2023 by Ch. No. 3277]

B. All other motor vehicles belonging to the City shall be used for public business and, when not in use, shall be kept in areas provided therefor by the City.

C. No other City vehicle shall be taken home after established work hours unless specific approval is granted by the City Council to a City vehicle justification petition (CVJP) submitted by a duly authorized department head. The CVJP shall first be approved by the Mayor or his/her designee. Only one vehicle per CVJP will be considered by the Council. The Council reserves the right to reconsider a CVJP at any time. The City Council shall not consider any CVJP that has not been approved first by the Mayor or his/her designee.

D. No personal use of a City-owned vehicle is implied or permitted by this section.

E. No City-owned vehicle is to be operated while under the influence of alcohol or any controlled substance, pursuant to Rhode Island General Law § 31-27-2, or any subsequent state law pertaining to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

F. All individuals authorized to take City vehicles home on nights and weekends, and who choose to do so instead of causing the same to be garaged on City property, and are not required by the Internal Revenue Service to pay taxes on the use of said vehicles shall contribute 25% of the average cost of fuel, insurance, maintenance and repair costs.

§ 63-4 Identification.

Except as otherwise provided in this article, all motor vehicles belonging to the City shall have painted thereon, clearly visible and in a conspicuous place, the words "City of Pawtucket" and the name of the department to which such motor vehicle has been assigned, in letters not less than two inches in height, which marking shall not be covered at any time.

§ 63-5 Registration plates.

All City-owned vehicles, with the exception of vehicles assigned to the Police Department that are used for surveillance and undercover police activities and the Police Chief, shall have registration plates affixed to the vehicle clearly identifying it as a City-owned vehicle. It shall be a violation of this section for any City-owned vehicle, except as stated above, to have any other registration plates affixed to it other than plates that identify it as a City-owned vehicle. No other registration plates shall be issued by the City for the purposes of identification other than plates identifying a vehicle as a City-owned vehicle, except to those vehicles exempted in this section. Any and all registration plates that do not conform with the provisions of this section shall be turned in to the Director of Administration upon passage of this act.

§ 63-6 Exemption for certain police vehicles.

A. The Chief of Police is hereby authorized to exempt certain motor vehicles, when assigned to an authorized member of the Pawtucket Police Department, being used in police work from the provisions of §§ 63-4 and 63-5.

B. Police vehicles shall only be assigned to authorized members of the Pawtucket Police Department and the Director of Public Safety.

C. In the event that a police vehicle is transferred to a different City department, the vehicle shall be converted to adhere to Title 31 of the Rhode Island General Laws entitled "Motor and Other Vehicles."