Pennsylvania State Police Cruisers Get Major Makeover
GREENSBURG (KDKA) -- Pennsylvania's State Police cruisers are getting a makeover. The changes include a new paint job, high tech features and more.
The cruisers have had their current look since 1991. Instead of white paint, the new design is grey.
The new paint scheme has its basis in history. State Police vehicles used to be grey from 1946-1963.
The new grey theme also matches the current trooper uniforms. Officials say they want the public to make the association between the trooper and the vehicle.
"The whole idea is to give us better visibility with the public," says Trooper Stephen Limani of the State Police barracks in Greensburg, Westmoreland County. Limani says the State Police are trying to keep up with more modern-looking vehicles that are on the road today.
"I think this is a very sharp-looking vehicle. We just want the public to be kind of forewarned. This is the vehicle that's going to be out there, possibly pulling you over."
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The vehicle fleet won't be replaced all at once. Limani says, "As a vehicle gets turned in, it's going to be completed with the new style, the new look. So that's how we're going to transition from one vehicle to the next."
There will be a few high-tech upgrades, including special spotlights that use halogen bulbs. They will be used when troopers are searching for suspects in dimly-lit areas, like the woods.
The upgrades will cost $67.00 per vehicle. No extra money will be spent on paint because automaker Ford already has the grey color in stock.
The only major change will be the addition of reflective decals, including the addition of the word "Trooper" along the side of the vehicle.
"It distinguishes it from other police departments that may have similar type color schemes," says Limani. "Obviously, the grey is a very popular color. It's a very sharp-looking color. And then you talk about our big emblem, our big patch on the side, and the 'trooper' will really help distinguish it between other departments."
Originally, there were plans to repaint the State Police's fleet of helicopters to match, but that idea was scrapped for budgetary reasons. Instead, the helicopters will be slowly changed over as money becomes available, or as they are taken out of service and replaced.