A schoolteacher using a classroom for a private summer job tutoring kids. A Spokane Street Department worker using a city-owned plow in his side business removing snow from private property. A city official using his office on the weekends to sell insurance. None of that would be allowed. And taxpayers certainly wouldn’t have to contribute more to the pensions of those workers because of that moonlighting.

So why is it that police officers can use police cars in side jobs and have their pension payouts enhanced as they direct traffic and stand guard for private contractors? In 2001, the state Legislature ended this practice for the Washington State Patrol. It’s time to end it, period.

Spokane Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick says she’s never really thought of the policy questions that arise from this tradition. Now would be a good time to start, because taxpayers have endured two years of higher property taxes to head off public safety budget cuts. On the November ballot, they will be asked to dig deeper for upgraded communications services, including the restoration of Crime Check. Citizens are still frustrated that officers cannot be spared for property crimes.

Furthermore, the city is planning on spending $500,000 for new police cars, because the current fleet has too many miles on it. Wouldn’t those cars last longer if they weren’t used for side jobs? Another $2.2 million has been earmarked to add 24 positions to the Police Department and 10 to the Fire Department over the next two years.

In short, a community that is struggling to finance public safety is in no position to bump up pension payouts based on off-duty work.

From 2003 to 2006, about 100 police officers were paid $691,687 for moonlighting, but the practice has been going on far longer than that. This pay has been added to the gross salaries of officers. That matters to everyone, because the amount kicked into pensions by the city and state is based on a set percentage of gross pay. Furthermore, the amount retired officers collect is based, in part, on the average pay in the five highest-earning years. The more moonlighting they do now, the more they collect later.

It is indefensible to dip into taxpayer money for this purpose. We don’t do it for any other workers. Police officers are paid handsomely by Spokane standards and their retirement plan is robust compared with those of most Spokanites, many of whom have none at all. The extra pension benefits from moonlighting are not necessary in recruiting and maintaining a high-quality police force.

Spokane isn’t the only city in Washington that adds unofficial pay to official salaries. It’s a budget bender in Seattle, Tacoma and other cities, too. State Rep. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor, says she intends to get to the bottom of this.

That’s encouraging, because the obligation for taxpayers should end when an officer’s shift ends. It’s as simple as that.