Pollei v. Commissioner

87 T.C. No. 56, 87 T.C. 869, 1986 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedOctober 28, 1986
DocketDocket Nos. 28737-84, 28738-84
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 87 T.C. No. 56 (Pollei v. Commissioner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Pollei v. Commissioner, 87 T.C. No. 56, 87 T.C. 869, 1986 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31 (tax 1986).

Opinion

GERBER, Judge:

Respondent determined 1981. Federal income tax deficiencies of $537.30 for petitioners Pollei and $442 for petitioners Patrick and their cases have been consolidated for purposes of trial, briefing, and opinion. The sole issue for our consideration is whether police officers aré entitled to deduct the cost of operating ah unmarked police department equipped vehicle between their residence and police headquarters.

FINDINGS OF FACT

All petitioners resided in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the time each of the petitions was filed. Petitioners Jon R. Pollei (Pollei) and Harry W. Patrick (Patrick) were employed, during 1981; as. captains in . the Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD). During 1981, Pollei and Patrick commanded the detective and community affairs divisions, respectively. Police departments generally provide command officers (including captains) with police vehicles to assist in the performance of their duties. Prior to 1980, SLCPD supplied Pollei and Patrick with city-owned unmarked vehicles for their full-time use.

Pursuant to a Salt Lake City mayor’s September 23, 1980, executive order to reduce costs, SLCPD Chief Wil-loughby issued an order, dated September 29; 1980, requiring command level officers to provide their own transportation.1 Beginning October 1, 1980, each command level officer was to be placed on a car allowance program under which they would receive $250 per month. Under the program, SLCPD provided and installed the necessary paraphernalia to equip the privately owned vehicle for use as an unmarked police car. The conversion from city-owned to privately owned vehicles was an attempt to reduce police department operating costs. Chief Willoughby’s order also contained an additional measure purporting to extend captains’ (and other command officers’) “tours of duty” from the time they report in and out by 2.-way radio or telephone, rather than their actual arrival time at headqüár-ters.2 Their responsibilities and activity during travel to and from headquarters did not change when they converted frqm city-owned to privately owned vehicles. Becausé the police officers did not receive additional remuneration, Chief Willoughby theorized that the city received more hours of police protection for the same cost.

In addition to calling in, each command officer possessed a paging device and could be reached at any time within the Salt Lake City area. Pollei and Patrick were required to call in at any time (whether on or off duty) they used the unmarked, specially equipped vehicle; Command officers were not compensated for the time consumed traveling between their residences and headquarters at the beginning and end of each work day. Pollei and Patrick’s compensated work day began at 8 a.m., at which time they were to arrive at headquarters for their 8-hour shifts. All command officers were subject to off-duty call-in.3 Pollei and Patrick each averaged 4 to 6 responses per month to radio messages while en route to and from headquarters. Examples of their responses included breaking up a fight and backing up another officer.

Petitioners claimed deductions and credits in connection with the privately owned vehicles, used for police activity. Respondent disallowed only the portion that related to operation of the vehicle between headquarters and petitioners’ residences each day.4

OPINION

This Case adds yet another factual pattern to an already abundant melange of “commuting cases.” Petitioners are police captains and were placed in “tour of duty” status during their daily round trip between their residences and police headquarters. This, travel was accomplished in-;a specially equipped, privately owned unmarked vehicle sanctioned by the police department. Respondent argues that petitioners’ daily round-trip travel between their residences and headquarters is a nondeductible personal commuting expense. Secs. 162, 262.5 Petitioners contend that their situation varies from the usual commuting case because it involves “a police officer who went on duty at the time he entered the police car and who provided police services during the time he was traveling.” The parties’ position presents the wholly factual question of whether petitioners were commuting under the circumstances of this case.

It is well established that expenses incurred in commuting from home to work are personal and not deductible. Commissioner v. Flowers, 326 U.S. 465 (1946); United States v. Tauferner, 407 F.2d 243 (10th Cir. 1969); secs. 162, 262; secs. 1.162-2(e), 1.212-1(f), 1.262-1(b)(5), Income Tax Regs. In order to be deductible, the travel “must be incurred in pursuit of business” and “necessary or appropriate to the * * * pursuit of business.” Commissioner v. Flowers, supra at 467. Certain types of business-related travel have been found to be deductible: Travel while away from home, Gilberg v. Commissioner, 55 T.C. 611, 614 (1971); local travel incurred while performing a job, Lopkoff v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1982-701; travel between jobs or job locations, Fausner v. Commissioner, 55 T.C. 620 (1971); travel between job locations where the principal place of business is located in the. home, Wisconsin Psychiatric Services, Ltd. v. Commissioner, 76 T.C. 839 (1981); and possibly for an allocable portion of travel attributable to the transportation of job-required tools, Fausner v. Commissioner, 413 U.S. 838, 839 (1973).6

Petitioners’ presentation is colorable and on the surface persuasive. They argue that, the travel was necessary and in the performance of their jobs.7 We must, however, find for respondent. We find that petitioners were not engaged in their jobs (business activity) during the time, they traveled to and from headquarters. Petitioners , admit that no previous case supports their position. They have attempted to distinguish several cases where police officers were denied travel expense deductions. McCabe u. Commissioner, 688 F.2d 102 (2d Cir. 1982), affg. 76. T.C. 876 (1981); Chapman v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1982-68; Bradley v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1973-163; Marzano v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1970-159; Fiore v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1968-104. Petitioners argue that their situation differs from these cases because petitioners’ travel occurred within their “tour of duty,” whereas the other officers’ travel was outside their tours of duty. The police department’s designation of petitioners’ tour of duty as including commuting does not convert its status to that of a deductible business or job related expense. Petitioners, as supervisory police officers, were involved in “patrol” activity incidental to their primary responsibility. Petitioners’ “patrol” responsibilities were no greater when in transit to headquarters from their homes than when théy wére involved in purely personal pursuits, such as going to a movie. Commuting is éssential to most employees’ employment, but is not a deductible expense.

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2009 T.C. Memo. 213 (U.S. Tax Court, 2009)
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Bluebook (online)
87 T.C. No. 56, 87 T.C. 869, 1986 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pollei-v-commissioner-tax-1986.