Columbus ends private use of city-owned cars

Columbus, Ind., officials are putting the brakes on personal use of city-owned vehicles as part of an effort Mayor Kristen Brown says will save the city thousands and send a message about fiscal responsibility to taxpayers.

The Republic reports Brown has ordered all city employees except police and firefighters to suspend private use of their vehicles by Tuesday. That means employees cannot take the vehicles home and use them for errands or family outings.

More than a dozen vehicles will be parked on city property under the new policy.

Brown says public safety workers were excluded from the policy because they are on call 24 hours a day.

Police Chief Jason Maddix says off-duty police officers responded to more than 2,000 incidents in 2011.