| The Rhea County Newspaper |
| "Rhea County's REAL Information Source" |
Law enforcement is a profession of trends and traditions. I suppose you think I am
about to start a slam session on these "traditions" but nope, I'm actually glad to see
the more identifiable black and white police car.
I don't agree with the reason for the black and white color change at such a major
taxpayer expense painting city police cars black and white just so the car doesn't
look "like a sheriff department car". That sounds almost stupid.
Black and white was not always the tradition. As police vehicles became a mainstay
in the United States, most of them were a solid color. In an effort to stand out from
the general civilian car, many departments utilized a black car and simply added a
white stripe. Ford started making extra-durable police package cars in 1950, and the
black and white paint scheme soon followed. By the 1960's, black-and-whites were
everywhere, further mythologized by TV police shows like Adam 12 and Andy Griffith.
In the 1990’s, many departments converted to solid-colored cars. As local
governments battled increasing demands and lower budgets, the traditional black
and white was eliminated in favor of cost-efficient solids. White cars soon became
standard. Emblems that had often been simplified for the readily recognizable black
and white scheme often were now embellished and enlarged so citizens could
recognize white cars as police cars.
But in the past few years, the trend has reversed. Black and white is making a
comeback. Cost is no longer a prohibitive factor. A simple online search reveals
manufacturers, aware of agency constraints, quote less than a $500 increase for each
car with the traditional paint job. Cash-strapped police departments around the
country are getting creative with their bottom line: Mesa, Arizona purchased smaller
hubcaps to offset the $400 increase; Fond du Lac, Wisconsin offset $300 each by
opting for a less complicated graphics package. However, the cost to repaint the
entire fleet of Dayton Police vehicles may just cost more than people think. In the
least, more than "we the people " are told what the actual cost will be.
With a few pocket windfalls in increased budgets and overwhelming enthusiasm,
along with little regard to taxpayer money, the popularity of black and white cars is
approaching an all-time high.
But why bring them back?
Public recognition tops the list. For instance, the concept of community policing
relies heavily on the active participation of citizens to solve community-wide
problems. Just as in years long past, it was always the citizens who actually acted as
"law" working with police, not against them. Now days, police seem to feel a need to
embrace authority that they are not born with, but authority that "people" give them
and then sit back and watch some officers abuse that authority.
But for the street officer, he must maintain a high degree of visibility in order to
collaborate and build relationships with these citizens. These relationships should
be built on trust as law abiding citizens are never intended to be the target for law
enforcement, it is the law breakers that police pursue. To this end, having a
recognizable police vehicle makes a lot of sense.
So hey, the black and white car concept in Dayton will not be criticized. We like the
colors... black and white, simple and effective.
Another problem seen with the painting of the Dayton Police vehicles is that it seems
to be done in a non-efficient manner. For example, it isn't clear just how much of the
2007 police budget of $1.13 million, which is up from $1.09 million last year is for
new police car purchases. Additionally, the Dayton Council in it's 2007 budget gave
an extra $18,000 for a new police car.
I have personally tried to contact Chief Chris Sneed and for some reason he will not
return a phone call, nor is he in his office in spite of his SUV parked outside. In any
event, such information is best gotten at an administrative level. I mean after all,
why mess around with entangling your time wrestling with a snakes body when you
can gain much more control and effectiveness by going for it's head.
With the traditional look, it appears that an increase in officer morale follows.
Officers from across the country have overwhelmingly supported a change to black
and white cars. A recent vote in a large Midwest municipal police department
revealed that 83% of the officers were strongly in favor of transitioning to a black and
white vehicle. The popularity of black and white cars by the officers has a positive
impact on any administrator that chooses to make the change. Another added bonus,
the black and white cars look "intimidating". They look "cool". Very manly.
Ed Nowicki, the Executive Director of the International Law Enforcement Educators
and Trainers Association (ILEETA), is a proponent of a unilateral switch. “A black
and white car would clearly represent law enforcement in the same manner that
people know that fire trucks are red,” he says.
Mr. Nowicki emphasizes that a standard Law Enforcement vehicle would not only
help prevent the impersonation of an officer, but would also give citizens the added
comfort of seeing a “united front” in law enforcement. Just imagine, all police cars
will be black and white and when the day comes they will stamp the word "FEDERAL"
on the side of the car and have a national federalized police force. The sheriffs will go
the way of the constable and be abolished. The sheriff, constable or any elected law
position is a threat to federalism. The office of sheriff is already being abolished in
several states. We may need to do a story on that.
So get ready folks, the future will indeed be "black and white, good and bad, rich and
poor. Stand in line and keep paying your tax dollars and never bother observing the
waste. Then again, that's why we depend upon our media, to keep officials in check
and tell the public just what is going on. Too bad the Herald-News dropped the ball
and sold out to advertisements with filler stories smothered around all the ads.
Whether it is community relations, better visibility, tradition or perception, black
and white police cars appear, once again, to be making their cultural mark on
American law enforcement. In the fast-paced, technology-driven police culture, the
simple tradition of a black and white car is a welcome sight. But this welcome site
must come in the proper way. It must come by showing exactly who is painting those
cars and for how much.
Come on folks, would any person walk up and give Chris Sneed over 1 million dollars
for a small town police department budget and not require him to explain
expenditures? If so, then we need another monkey trial in a kangaroo court.
The cost to repaint the cars black and white was between NOT $2,500 to $3,000 per
car as originally reported, but was only $500 per car.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As noted in the "correction" new information has been provided in that the cost of
painting these cars was actually $500, not $2,500 - $3,000 as originally reported. I
redacted the amount to show this correction. By the way, I used the fancy word
"redact" because I recently used it on a jailor by the name of S. Webb and based upon
her actions, or should I say "lack of action", she obviously didn't even know what the
word meant. Soooo, here's yer sign...
about to start a slam session on these "traditions" but nope, I'm actually glad to see
the more identifiable black and white police car.
I don't agree with the reason for the black and white color change at such a major
taxpayer expense painting city police cars black and white just so the car doesn't
look "like a sheriff department car". That sounds almost stupid.
Black and white was not always the tradition. As police vehicles became a mainstay
in the United States, most of them were a solid color. In an effort to stand out from
the general civilian car, many departments utilized a black car and simply added a
white stripe. Ford started making extra-durable police package cars in 1950, and the
black and white paint scheme soon followed. By the 1960's, black-and-whites were
everywhere, further mythologized by TV police shows like Adam 12 and Andy Griffith.
In the 1990’s, many departments converted to solid-colored cars. As local
governments battled increasing demands and lower budgets, the traditional black
and white was eliminated in favor of cost-efficient solids. White cars soon became
standard. Emblems that had often been simplified for the readily recognizable black
and white scheme often were now embellished and enlarged so citizens could
recognize white cars as police cars.
But in the past few years, the trend has reversed. Black and white is making a
comeback. Cost is no longer a prohibitive factor. A simple online search reveals
manufacturers, aware of agency constraints, quote less than a $500 increase for each
car with the traditional paint job. Cash-strapped police departments around the
country are getting creative with their bottom line: Mesa, Arizona purchased smaller
hubcaps to offset the $400 increase; Fond du Lac, Wisconsin offset $300 each by
opting for a less complicated graphics package. However, the cost to repaint the
entire fleet of Dayton Police vehicles may just cost more than people think. In the
least, more than "we the people " are told what the actual cost will be.
With a few pocket windfalls in increased budgets and overwhelming enthusiasm,
along with little regard to taxpayer money, the popularity of black and white cars is
approaching an all-time high.
But why bring them back?
Public recognition tops the list. For instance, the concept of community policing
relies heavily on the active participation of citizens to solve community-wide
problems. Just as in years long past, it was always the citizens who actually acted as
"law" working with police, not against them. Now days, police seem to feel a need to
embrace authority that they are not born with, but authority that "people" give them
and then sit back and watch some officers abuse that authority.
But for the street officer, he must maintain a high degree of visibility in order to
collaborate and build relationships with these citizens. These relationships should
be built on trust as law abiding citizens are never intended to be the target for law
enforcement, it is the law breakers that police pursue. To this end, having a
recognizable police vehicle makes a lot of sense.
So hey, the black and white car concept in Dayton will not be criticized. We like the
colors... black and white, simple and effective.
Another problem seen with the painting of the Dayton Police vehicles is that it seems
to be done in a non-efficient manner. For example, it isn't clear just how much of the
2007 police budget of $1.13 million, which is up from $1.09 million last year is for
new police car purchases. Additionally, the Dayton Council in it's 2007 budget gave
an extra $18,000 for a new police car.
I have personally tried to contact Chief Chris Sneed and for some reason he will not
return a phone call, nor is he in his office in spite of his SUV parked outside. In any
event, such information is best gotten at an administrative level. I mean after all,
why mess around with entangling your time wrestling with a snakes body when you
can gain much more control and effectiveness by going for it's head.
With the traditional look, it appears that an increase in officer morale follows.
Officers from across the country have overwhelmingly supported a change to black
and white cars. A recent vote in a large Midwest municipal police department
revealed that 83% of the officers were strongly in favor of transitioning to a black and
white vehicle. The popularity of black and white cars by the officers has a positive
impact on any administrator that chooses to make the change. Another added bonus,
the black and white cars look "intimidating". They look "cool". Very manly.
Ed Nowicki, the Executive Director of the International Law Enforcement Educators
and Trainers Association (ILEETA), is a proponent of a unilateral switch. “A black
and white car would clearly represent law enforcement in the same manner that
people know that fire trucks are red,” he says.
Mr. Nowicki emphasizes that a standard Law Enforcement vehicle would not only
help prevent the impersonation of an officer, but would also give citizens the added
comfort of seeing a “united front” in law enforcement. Just imagine, all police cars
will be black and white and when the day comes they will stamp the word "FEDERAL"
on the side of the car and have a national federalized police force. The sheriffs will go
the way of the constable and be abolished. The sheriff, constable or any elected law
position is a threat to federalism. The office of sheriff is already being abolished in
several states. We may need to do a story on that.
So get ready folks, the future will indeed be "black and white, good and bad, rich and
poor. Stand in line and keep paying your tax dollars and never bother observing the
waste. Then again, that's why we depend upon our media, to keep officials in check
and tell the public just what is going on. Too bad the Herald-News dropped the ball
and sold out to advertisements with filler stories smothered around all the ads.
Whether it is community relations, better visibility, tradition or perception, black
and white police cars appear, once again, to be making their cultural mark on
American law enforcement. In the fast-paced, technology-driven police culture, the
simple tradition of a black and white car is a welcome sight. But this welcome site
must come in the proper way. It must come by showing exactly who is painting those
cars and for how much.
Come on folks, would any person walk up and give Chris Sneed over 1 million dollars
for a small town police department budget and not require him to explain
expenditures? If so, then we need another monkey trial in a kangaroo court.
The cost to repaint the cars black and white was between NOT $2,500 to $3,000 per
car as originally reported, but was only $500 per car.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As noted in the "correction" new information has been provided in that the cost of
painting these cars was actually $500, not $2,500 - $3,000 as originally reported. I
redacted the amount to show this correction. By the way, I used the fancy word
"redact" because I recently used it on a jailor by the name of S. Webb and based upon
her actions, or should I say "lack of action", she obviously didn't even know what the
word meant. Soooo, here's yer sign...
| Back in Black: AC/DC or the Police Roy L. Denton, contributor |
