Why are all the town cop cars now black?
Have noticed in every town the cop cars are now black & no longer say "To Protect & Serve"?
Was that a Federal Mandate if the department takes Federal money you have to make the cars black & no longer protect & serve?
Noticed the State Police are still Blue & Yellow but all the towns have gone to black...why is that?
RU 
HectorThe Supreme Court has ruled that police do NOT have the duty to protect.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/28/politics/28scotus.html?_r=0
Mark Mc. Why would you need the police to protect you when you have the 2nd ammendment?
LOL, just kidding!
redneck Seems to be simply a trend.
The traditional black and white scheme police car was established in order for it to stand out from other vehicles as so a citizen could easily recognize it. In the 1990's some departments started to use a solid color usually white, for budget reasons. There is a trend with many departments to go back to the black and white car. There are studies that show both the community as well as officers respond in a positive mannner to a black & white car. The following link details many other interesting reasons as to why the black and white car is the way to go.
http://www.policeone.com/columnists/Travis-Yates/articles/1204896-Back-in-Black-Police-cars-go-retro/
Greg "To Protect and Serve" is to be replaced by "To Harass and Intimidate" in the near future.
Old Gent http://www.thegoodmanchronicle.com/2013/09/homeland-security-is-reason-local.html
"Evidence seems to indicate that the Department of Homeland Security is behind this standardization of police cars."
skippy 
The NJ State Police troop cars have had the current all white car with blue & yellow triangle coloring on the doors since the mid 1970's.
Anyone know what make they'll go with to replace the current Ford Crown Victorias? Since they have unmarked Dodge Chargers, I'll take a guess and say that these will be the new marked replacements.
I think there may even be a couple Chevy Camaro's out there! Has anyone actually seen one of these out on NJ Highways?
Vic 
My thoughts exactly, Skippy......
The militarization of our local police forces continues, and I know a few fairly intelligent people who think it's OK because "they're ours" and "we know them."
The police celebrate this delusion openly, displaying their latest Federal-Government Issue Urban Assault Vehicle at fairs and parades.
Here's one from the West End Fair in PA.
jjmonth4 +1000
skippy - thanks for posting that link.
"There is always free cheese in a mouse trap."
Marine Colonel DeMartino
I used to drive one of those in the National Guard (Urban Assault Vehicle)
We called it an APC (Armored Personel Carrier)
thehazguy That's an awfully outrageous statement to make without a shred of factual support. Some people seem to want to make a conspiracy out of everything.
gadfly The reality is that - The Posse Comitatus Act (18 U.S.C. ยง 1385) has been essentially repealed since 2008.
This subsidization of local law enforcement agencies to buy things such as LRAD and Armored vehicles is coming directly from DHS through "preparedness grants"
https://www.dhs.gov/news/2012/02/17/dhs-announces-grant-guidance-fiscal-year-fy-2012-preparedness-grants
http://www.fema.gov/fy-2013-homeland-security-grant-program-hsgp-0
The black and white was widely phased out in the early 90's because that paint scheme cost $500 more per vehicle. Now that police departments cab buy equipment with DHS / FEMA money under these programs they follow their recommendations.
" http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/article_accf14a9-af10-5fda-a3f5-22e52a4545e7.html\"
"Police Chief Ray Rael said last year, when his department began phasing in the black-and-white color scheme, that the design was chosen because of a federal Department of Homeland Security recommendation to standardize police vehicles around the country."
There is a push to standardize uniforms to the navy blue blouse and BDU pants nationwide as well.
If you look at the manufacturer's websites you'll see that most modern color schemes are factory options. If HLS is directing things, they are doing it obtusely through automobile manufacturers. I agree with Greg that this is just the normal progression of trends.
justintime jjmonth4 - Hazguy is right. The same things have been sitting at the Armory on Washington Street in East Stroudsburg for the last 30 years.
The DHS gives locals millions that disappear if they don't spend it on something. So they end up with armored vehicles they have no use for. The spending can't be on anything but it has to be used, and who turns down something for free?
You're also aware of Godwin's Rule too, right?
GC "The spending can't be on anything but it has to be used, and who turns down something for free?"
But you know as well as anyone that it isn't "free". That's completely disingenuous because the money came from taxpayers - we all paid for it. What's more disturbing is that instead of lowering taxes the standard government response of "use it or lose it" most likely applies. This is precisely the kind of waste that should be curtailed. I wonder who's stepping up to the plate?
As far as Godwin's rule - it was an analogy. You know, to illicit a certain response. Apparently it worked just fine ;-)
JIT - Agreed about that kind of waste, it's exactly thing kind of blindly throwing money at the problem that gets no results. It's even worse than the "free" which is only from the viewpoint of the receiver. After you realize someone else has paid, you also realize all those pieces of equipment have maintenance costs so only the initial purchase is free. You're still pay $ long after that vehicle arrives for free.
As for Godwin, it's about letting pure emotional pleas get in the way of facts. You're against that, right?
the state police is getting the new chevy caprice since the ford crown vic is no longer made
Darrin Hackettstown also buys thru a co-op. Its cheaper that way. So whoever is in the co-op all get the same vehicle.
Christine Yup, I'm familiar with Godwin's Rule...and there's probably a corollary rule that someone will always reference Godwin's Rule any time a Nazi analogy comes up in a thread.
Stalin's NKVD would probably be a more appropriate analogy, though I'm sure someone has a rule for mentioning that, too...
"Urban Assault Vehicle" was part descriptive of my opinion of DHS's future planning and partly a reference to the movie "Stripes"...just for fun. I am aware that it was an APC, and I guess it's a cheaper option than a Bearcat, but I don't like it either way.
MeisterNJ Many places have done everything they can to make police cars blend in, so catch speeders, and everyone else who isn't harming anyone by bending a law slightly.
I have seen undercover police on rt 80 with dodge chargers, not black or white, some tan, with bumper stickers of local schools on them, to completely hide from anyone who might be on the lookout for a cop. This image (found, not taken) is clearly route 80 near rockaway.... http://imgur.com/FzzRRFH
I'm a frequent visitor in CT, and they have Chevy impalas that are so camouflaged you can't see the flashers at all, they are inside the headlight and taillight fixtures with the lights themselves and completely invisible from the outside. Lot of effort to make a $200 speeding ticket...
I'm not against speeding tickets, but i hate how police use them to pay their bills.They're spending money to make these decked out cars all to make a few bucks at a time, and we all know there's never a cop when you need one.
Also, most government agencies, from your library to police buy cars on contract through, usually the state. Its cheaper, because the state negotiates the rates and gets giant contracts.If your town is buying off contract, you should complain and ensure they have good reasoning, or are getting a rate just as good.
All that being said, my experience with Hackettstown police has been the best ever. I drive a lot at night, which around here is enough to be pulled over, but when I have been pulled over, (for nothing wrong other than being out late) the officers have been nothing but polite and responsible and very reasonable.
alpha1beta alpha1beta - being out late is not a reason to pull you over and if thats why they pulled you over, they are 100% wrong. SMH!
The reason why all the cars are now black and white is because recently within the past few years, manufactures have changed the options on the police cruisers to be black and white by default. You actually have to pay extra now to get just a white police cruiser. What happened was that a majority of departments were paying extra for black and white and the manufactures in turn made black and white default without having to pay extra for. That's a major reason why you see most towns with black and white cars all of a sudden and not white anymore.
Scout I think its a blessing that they are going back to the Black and white paint makes it easer to notice them and you have a better cchance of flaging one down if you need help and so on
Caged Animal Was a time when most cop cars were black & white or a similar color scheme. Idea was for cop cars to be stand out and provide a visible deterrent to speeding, etc. Now, all they want to do is "catch" you by hiding in the weeds and using all kinds of sneaky unmarked cars, suvs and even trucks on the highways and roads.
"If you two-tone a vehicle, you camouflage it more than if you use a single car color," says Stephen Solomon, an Owego, N.Y., optometrist and member of New York state's Department of Motor Vehicles medical advisory board. "In a municipal setting, the background is straight lines, and when you two-tone a vehicle, you break down the ability to be able to see it in silhouette.
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-10-13-police-black-white_x.htm
Darrin,
Looks like you called it. Chevy Caprices it will be for the NJSP to eventually replace the Ford Crown Victoria. I found this little blurb on the following Law Enforcement message board:
From intel within Division HQ motor pool.
"The NJSP has always been in favor of purchasing Chevys. We have tried the chargers and although quick, the troopers seem to kill them faster then we can keep them running. As for the impala, it make for a good detective / general unmaked vehicle but being front wheel drive it lacks the components to stay together under the riggers of tp/pw highway abuse. The state police are purchasing Tahoes as as they have in the past for special units as well as patrol and the new Caprice will be the current replacement for the aging Crown Vic's. With rear wheel drive, high end hp and a Chevy badge that is what has been decided upon."
http://forums.njlawman.com/post/new-njsp-vehicles-6513852?&trail=10
BTW, do those DHS grants cover jackboots and swagger sticks? Who decides what the money is spent on? If I get myself elected mayor and then appoint myself chief of police can I determine how to spend the DHS grant?
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