COLUSA, CA - Personal use of Colusa County vehicles is strictly prohibited under a vehicle use policy approved Jan. 12 by county supervisors, according to the Colusa County Sun-Herald.

The policy updates procedures regarding the assignment and use of county vehicles and official county use of private vehicles and applies to all county employees and elected officials. The policy stipulates that county vehicles are only to be driven in the course of an employee's official duties of county employment.

Positions in which frequent after hour emergencies or other unscheduled work, which may require an immediate response, are allowed to take county vehicles overnight, according to the policy.

Examples of unauthorized vehicle use include using a county vehicle without department head approval, driving a county vehicle with a suspended or invalid license, allowing a non-county employee to drive a county vehicle and use of the vehicle for personal purposes.

The only exception for using a county vehicle for personal purposes would apply to "take-home" vehicles and only if the stop is in route from work to an employee's residence, according to the policy.

The county also reimburses employees and elected officials for the use of a privately owned vehicle, based on a mileage reimbursement established by the Internal Revenue Services, reported the Sun-Herald.