Shalimar police offer rides home

SHALIMAR — Town residents now have another service that distinguishes them from folks living in larger municipalities.

If they drink too much or their car breaks down far from home, they can call the Shalimar police. An officer will bring a police car to take them home from as far as 25 miles away.

“Some other people do the New Year’s Eve thing and (the police) were talking, ‘Why do it just on New Year’s Eve?’ We’ve got the capability to do it probably year-round,” said Town Manager Tom Burns. “And not just inebriated people.”

The new service was advertised in the town’s newsletter that was posted online Jan. 2. Cards will be printed up with a special cell phone number and distributed to every resident.

“The Shalimar residents pay for a police department,” said Mayor Gary Combs. “We look for ways to give them more services.”

Many of the town’s 730 residents probably don’t know about it yet. No one has called for help since it went into effect.

“I think that’s a lovely gesture,” resident Chris Larson said when the service was explained to her. “It makes (police) seem more human and that’s important.”

But she worried that some people might take advantage of it, particularly those who wanted to go out and drink without having to worry about driving home.

“I would maybe put a cap on it,” Larson said. “You can’t have more than three emergencies a month or you’re abusing the system.”

Burns said the parameters were loose at this point, but could be tightened or amended if needed.

“If somebody takes advantage of us, we’ll handle that with common sense,” said Burns, who added that the 25-mile radius could also be changed if it proved to be too far. “That was just our first gouge at it,” he said.

Police Chief John E. Cash said he heard at a recent police chiefs seminar that at least one other department offered a similar service, especially during the holiday season. Shalimar is taking it a few steps further.

“We’re going above and beyond that,” Cash said. “I don’t think a lot of agencies do it.”

Certainly, Shalimar appears to be the only local department extending such a service.

“I’ve not heard of anything like that and we certainly don’t have anything that,” said Fort Walton Beach Police Chief Ted Litschauer. “You could have your police officer 25 miles out of town when your call comes in,” he added.

Cash said that if Shalimar’s officers are dealing with an emergency at the time, the stranded motorist would have to wait. The tiny department also has backup from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.

Shalimar prides itself on thinking “out of the box” and doing things that other towns have never considered, Combs said. For example, the town’s equipment – including tractor, trailer and tools – are routinely loaned to residents at no charge.

Folks can also use town hall, which has a kitchen, meeting room and two restrooms, for private functions for free.

“We’re always looking at things the city can do to help the residents,” Combs said. “In most cases, the city has bent over backward to bring them whatever services they want.”

And Shalimar is doing those things while lowering its millage rate, he added.

“I think we’re the only municipality that’s been lowering taxes,” Combs said.