Police car locked with engine running?

[stabilio]

We unfortunately got burgled today

When the police turned up they locked the car up but left the engine running with the lights on. With all that was going on i didnt take much notice until now but why did they leave the engine running for an hour?

Were in a low crime area on a regular type of street so why leave the lights on too?

[arfur daley]

That would be so they could eat their donuts in a warm car.

[Pothole]

Why didn't you ask them (and to switch it off)? That's your taxes they're burning!

[Odhran]

I know you can keep a BMW running and take the keys out effectively running it with no key in the ignition. Was it a BMW by any chance?

[traffman]

I'm sorry to hear of your loss , as for the Police car i have heard / seen a couple of cars locked with the engine running before , i think it was a Beemer?

[SmoothCriminal]

Isn't it so the battery doesn't go flat

[McSam]

SmoothCriminal said:

Isn't it so the battery doesn't go flat

You could just turn the lights off.

Or is that really too revolutionary?

[danjama]

Literally burning our tax money.

[ShankCraft]

I believe it's called runlock. Not sure why they do it though

[GC8]

They used to fit Dipols for this very purpose.

[iPlod999]

Yep it's called RunLock. It's on almost all new cars nowadays.

The main reason for it to be used is for the engine to be kept running, with no keys in the ignition, for the lights to be on. Rear reds blue lights etc.

If you are on scene at an accident or stopped fast road and you need people to see the car.

If the lights were left on with the ignition/engine off. The battery would eventually go flat and the lights would not work.

As for leaving the car running whilst reporting a burglary.........he is a cock.

No need for it at all.

[sdc77]

Some leave the runlock on (in london) so the mdt (computer) doesnt flatten the battery. If it switches itself off in time you can lose your list of calls too.
Calling the officer a cock though is probably a better answer eh.

[sw4rm]

Probably takes a while for all the computer systems(ANPR etc) to restart if they get switched off each time they get out of the car.

[Furry Exocet]

sw4rm said:

Probably takes a while for all the computer systems(ANPR etc) to restart if they get switched off each time they get out of the car.

Yep takes around 5 minutes for the system to be up and ready and its very fiddly to do.
I personally wouldn't leave the vehicle unattended on runlock to range details for a burglary (unless it was a fast time job)

[Medic-one]

We use it as well on all ambulance and response cars.

And like said above, its for leaving you (blue/red lights on when required) and to keep all the equipment in the boot on charge.

Also handy in summer/winter for the heating/airco.

[King Eric]

Probably charging his phone at the time

[baldy1926]

As per previous its keep everything powered up.
On some of the older cars the battery can go flat in 20mins due to the onboard stuff pulling so much power.
You either have to shut down everything when you get out of the car or use runlock.

[trashbat]

For most normal people, it's illegal to leave a running car unattended.

Of course there will be an exemption, but what is it?

[iPlod999]

Doubt if there is an exemption.

However, if someone did get in the car and drive away. As soon as the clutch is pressed the automatically turns off.

[Willy Holloughby]

iPlod999 said:

Doubt if there is an exemption.

However, if someone did get in the car and drive away. As soon as the clutch is pressed the automatically turns off.

I thought this was the case with my BMW but I managed to drive it all the way to work last week with no key in the key hole.