In the county's latest effort to save on fuel costs, a new policy handed down by the county executive and police chief asks officers to hit the street with more foot patrols and turn off the air conditioning in their police cruisers.

The policy, announced yesterday by County Executive John R. Leopold and Police Chief James Teare Sr., also told officers to cut weight from patrol cars by removing extra equipment, avoid idling except at stoplights and, when possible, to carpool to training seminars and crime scenes.

The officers, however, still get to take their cars home with gas paid for by county taxpayers.

"As the largest consumer of fuel in the county, the Anne Arundel County Police Department is committed to exercising accountability and responsibility for the resources we consume," Chief Teare said in a statement. "These fuel-saving measures will not solve the fuel price crisis, but we must continue to spend taxpayer dollars responsibly whenever and wherever possible."

The county overspent its $6.8 million fuel budget last year by $400,000, despite eliminating a take-home car policy for nonuniformed employees and restricting use of other county vehicles. Central Services Officer Fred Schram said the police force has switched out some Ford Crown Victoria cruisers with more fuel-efficient Chevrolet Impalas. The county also is investigating whether inflating tires with nitrogen instead of air would help increase gas mileage.

Nationwide, $4 a gallon fuel prices are wreaking havoc on both public and household budgets, and police leaders said they would embrace the new policy.

"Police officers out working the road are not concerned first and foremost with gas conservation and usage," said Officer O'Brien Atkinson, president of the local police union. "I think it was a great idea for the (chief) and the county executive to bring that issue to the forefront. ... When you look at it on its face, it's reasonable. The gas crisis is real, and we all have a stake in keeping our costs low."

Officers are instructed to keep the air conditioning off "unless it is oppressively hot," and they are permitted to roll up the windows and flip on the air when traveling at 55 mph or higher.

The changes come a week after Chief Teare rescinded a policy requiring officers with tattoos to wear long sleeves, even in the heat.

Officer O'Brien said the new policy gives some discretion to police officers, joking that "hopefully they'll turn their air on before they get temperamental."