GREENSBORO, NC – Col. Randy Powers of the Guilford County Sheriff's Office believes take-home vehicles for officers are actually more economical in the long run based on multiple studies and law enforcement agency findings, according to the News & Record.

While the up-front costs to purchase more vehicles can be high, having one vehicle assigned to a particular deputy cuts maintenance costs over time. Also, vehicles have been found to last twice as long with less mileage being put on the car daily, reported the Record.

"The cars are better taken care of because it's part of the officer's responsibility," Powers told the Record.

Other benefits the department has found include the ability to have more cars on the road at peak call periods and the ability to call in off-duty officers in emergency situations, thus allowing deputies to respond directly to a scene.

Another benefit is that the vehicles act as a crime deterrent in the neighborhoods in which deputies live. "People are less likely to commit crimes when they know of a law enforcement presence in the area," Powers said.

Take-home vehicles also have an impact as a recruitment tool for hiring officers and improving morale, according to studies cited by the Record.