Have you ever noticed a lack of police cars at gas stations? Sure, squad cars will roll up if there’s a problem, but why don’t you ever see cops pumping gas? They certainly need gas with all of the driving they do. 

Where do police cars get gas? 

There are a few different places for cops to get gas, so it’s not uncommon to notice a lack of police cars at the fuel pumps. 

Your city could have government storage tanks and pumps for police officers, firefighters, first responders, city fleet vehicles, and more. 

These locations are typically placed out of view to deter crime. It’s also common for police stations to have their own fuel pumps at the station or courthouse. 

These private stations are for police cars only. Police officers will get in trouble for using these stations with their personal cars. 

Sometimes police officers are given a gas card, which means that they can only get gas at certain locations. 

Perhaps they have a membership card at places that require a membership for fuel pump access. Plus, private gas stations exist. 

If an officer is required to use a private station, sometimes they will get gas cards to use at other locations in the event of an emergency. They have to get authorization to do so. 

Reportedly, cops are sneaky about getting gas. Police officers might not want to fill up around larger crowds. They will often go to less popular gas stations at unpopular times. 

Getting gas required the officer to get out of their car and have their back faced to the public as they use the pumps. It puts them in a vulnerable position. 

In some cases, cops go wherever the most convenient gas station is at the time. It depends on what resources are available in your town. 

Also, most squad cars are hybrid, meaning they use gas and electricity. This allows squad cars to save fuel while powering the extra equipment in their rigs.