Pittsburgh Police Cars, Ambulances And City Vehicles Changing Colors To Represent Steel Heritage
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The city of Pittsburgh's police cars, ambulances and fleet cars are getting a new look.
By order of Mayor Bill Peduto, the vehicles are changing color and design to represent the city's steel heritage. But as KDKA investigator Andy Sheehan reports, not everyone's on board.
This is the city's new police cruiser. Gone are the broad strokes of black and gold, replaced by a new silver gray body with checkerboard stripes. It's the look of more to come.
"This year's fleet was bought in this new silver gray look as an homage to our history and steel," said Dan Gilman, the mayor's chief of staff.
The new cars are part of Mayor Peduto's vision for a new branding of city vehicles. The color scheme represents steel, identifying each as from the Steel City — a nod to Pittsburgh's industrial past.
"It's both a nod to our industrial past and wanting a more comprehensive look for all city vehicles," Gilman said.
It's not just police cars. Going forward, all retiring city vehicles will be replaced with new ones of the same design. That means EMS ambulances and fleet cars for the Department of Permit and Licensing and Office of Mobility and Infrastructure — even the sanitation trucks are included.
"When you see somebody out, there's a brand that you see that you know the city is working in your neighborhood or that it's a city vehicle," Gilman said.
But most folks KDKA's Andy Sheehan spoke with weren't on board. Some said the color doesn't represent Pittsburgh and the cruisers don't look like police cars
"There's always going to be people with different views," said Gilman. "I've seen positive comments on Twitter, I've seen negative."
Others had no problems with the new design.
"They look like a police car to me. They have police written on them," said Albert Flasck from Rankin
And while police officers KDKA's Andy Sheehan spoke with privately grumbled about the new design, Fraternal Order of Police President Robert Swartzwelder declined to weigh in, saying, "The mayor can pick the colors he likes. Unless it's a safety issue, the FOP has no skin in the game."
