Patrol vehicles, what do you get to drive?

[ocp]

quick question

I have noticed some Security Officers here in Columbus Ohio are getting away from patches / badges that say security and going with "private Police" or "public safety". can you do this on the uniform or patrol cars? I have only found that you can not use the word police or patrol that is with the wording Ohio or state. The badges on our patrol vehicles just say "patrol officer" and then the unit number.

[N. A. Corbier]

No, we use grafixshoppe.com. Local print shops charge 2 to 3 times as much since they obviously dont specialize in just police graphics.

Grafix shoppe is great to our company, send us out a lot of freebies every now and then, and helps us get our money back for the graphics when our squads are involved in accidents.

... I see. Same company we got a quote from, and most of my clients and friends go to. Small world, isn't it? They do good work.

[WISecurityGuy]

No, we use grafixshoppe.com. Local print shops charge 2 to 3 times as much since they obviously dont specialize in just police graphics.

Grafix shoppe is great to our company, send us out a lot of freebies every now and then, and helps us get our money back for the graphics when our squads are involved in accidents.

[N. A. Corbier]

Yes, we buy our graphics from an internet Police graphic website. There are numerous cities with the same kind.

Is it local in Racine? I got a catalog from them, very interesting designs, but used around the country by PD and security departments.

I have heard rumblings, but nothing concrete, that the WI Chief's Association is thinking of going to black and white "to be able to make sure people know the police are the police," since everyone else (read security) uses fancy graphics and white cars. A return to the LAPD times, I guess. I had believed this was voluntary, not going to be a restriction law.

As far as putting 911 on a car, I am all for it. Call 911 FOR EMERGENCIES. Do not call our dispatcher, we are not 911.

[WISecurityGuy]

Yes, we buy our graphics from an internet Police graphic website. There are numerous cities with the same kind.

[EMTGuard]

BTW WISecurityGuy, if I may ask, who do you work for? That squad looks very familar.

Looks like the same design used by our local PD, City of Saint Gabriel, Louisiana Police Department.

[WISecurityGuy]

Special Investigator, where or how can we read the legislation you are talking about that would only allow Police to use the B&W colors?

I couldnt imagine the bill of changing our squads over to all black!

[WISecurityGuy]

Also, our company name IS on the car, although not as easy to read as the Public Safety!!

[WISecurityGuy]

Wow, I didnt know that my post would cause such commotion. Ok, heres how I see it. We have had these squad cars in service for the last 5 years. All with the same graphics. Just more within the last two years. In regards to the badge on the vehicle, I am not sure the DRL would allow it or not. That would be something for the owner to work out. However, the ONLY time that our officers have been bothered by the police is when we hurriedly placed a squad in service BEFORE the graphics were placed on the vehicle. There were 3 major squad accidents that occurred within one week, and the graphics take 3-4 weeks to come in. Now, regarding the Black and White squads. Keep in mind that our squads are patrolling 24/7 responding to alarms, picking up transportees, and then at our normal accounts. At any one time throughout the day there are atleast 4-5 squads out. For the most part, all of our squads are in Milwaukee. Milwaukee has all white squads with a blue stripe. Anyone in Milwaukee can tell that our black and white is not a MPD squad. If we had all white squads, and blue graphics, that would be a bigger problem with the PD. The "Call 911" on the side is just that. In any emergency situation, we want the citizens to call 911. Not us.

"Public Safety" in our neck of the woods means just that, not POLICE. Even the city has a "security" division that provides state funded security to the cities housing. The Housing Authority has all armed personnel, not cops or sworn LEO's (although to my understanding some are, just waiting to get into departments). They are called the Housing Authority Public Safety, with Public Safety plastered all over their squads. (Very nice squads by the way). Around here EVERYONE knows Public Safety is not Police. Out of staters might be confused, but not the locals.

With the type of work we do, patrolling private propery, responding to alarms at peoples residences and without their actual permission all the time, we need a more "official looking" appearance if you will. It is not really easy doing what we do and sometimes any little help counts.

Just because were not driving around in Hybrid Toyota Echo's doesnt mean that we are not security!!

[GCMC Security]

The "Call 911" is OK. Often if civilans see the agency's phone number on the side of the vehicle, they tend to call that number when they have a emergency. The agency's phone number is not a requirement as I previously stated.

I got asked on a date that way! While working the downtown area of Grand Rapids MI, a girl pulled up beside me at an intersection. 10 minutes later I get a call from the dispatcher to TX the office. The girl called our number, got the dispatcher, told her where she saw me and left her number with the dispatcher for me!! I got ribbed about that for awhile!!

[Special Investigator]

Upon further review.....



The badge on the side of the squad might be cause for a problem, but it is not big enough that the DRL would say something.

The "Call 911" is OK. Often if civilans see the agency's phone number on the side of the vehicle, they tend to call that number when they have a emergency. The agency's phone number is not a requirement as I previously stated.

The "Protect & Serve" might bring a lawsuit if you fail to protect and/or serve. A lot of police depts are no longer using that motto because of lialability reasons. Some depts have been sued because they failed to "protect".

The B & W configuration is OK as of now in WI but there is legislation currently being passed that would only allow local police to use the B & W colors. Once Milwaukee PD changes over to B & W, all security companies will no longer be able to use that configuration and will have to change.

BTW WISecurityGuy, if I may ask, who do you work for? That squad looks very familar.

[Jackhole]

Maybe that's true where you are at, but over here, Department of Public Safety (DOPS) is the state police.

Same here. The Department of Public Safety is a huge state agency that encompasses these 3 entities (there's probably more that I don't know of, too): Bureau of Protective Services (state building patrols, executive protection), Highway Patrol and the Criminal Justice Academy

Are these people security guards? Definitely not.

[Mr. Security]

"Public Safety" is fine for security, etc., it does not suggest you are the Police.

Maybe that's true where you are at, but over here, Department of Public Safety (DOPS) is the state police.

[Jackhole]

"Public Safety" is fine for security, etc., it does not suggest you are the Police.

It does to me. In my home state, "Public Safety" is a title used only by those with special police authority, such as colleges, hospitals, etc.

Security should be allowed to use exactly ONE title: Security. No need to confuse most people more than they already are.

[Special Investigator]

IMO, titles like Public Safety and Private Police play right into this argument. Security Enforcement Officer, Private Protection Officer and the like convey authority w/o crossing into LE territory.

"Public Safety" is fine for security, etc., it does not suggest you are the Police.