The recent report of a Florida man who was just convicted of (among other things) rigging a booby trap outside the home of an officer whose unmarked cruiser was parked there, serves as a reminder of the safety issues surrounding take-home squads. In this instance the man rigged a trip cord attached to a board studded with barbed, feces-smeared nails that was placed on the way to the officer’s car. Had the officer been less alert on his walk out to the vehicle, the trap may have successfully injured/infected him.
Remember that a police car — marked or unmarked — can be a ready target for tampering and can, if parked in an obvious spot outside your house, alert offenders bent on finding a cop’s home to the fact that an officer lives there. If you bring a squad home, consider parking it away from your house if possible or in a garage. Be sure to check around and under the unit before getting in and driving off and remain alert for anything out of the ordinary in your path, such as the trip wire the alert Florida officer thankfully spotted.
