Cleveland police cars may become unrecognizable, says the Cleveland Plain Dealer: The classic black-and-white cruiser will be replaced in phases by cars that feature a mostly black paint job. The cars will be all black with “Cleveland Police” on the side, the word “Police” in large blue letters framed by dynamic white stripes. The Cleveland Police logo behind the front wheel well is small and understated.
The motive for change isn’t the element of surprise; it’s saving cash. “We’ll save $750 per car,” said Lt. Thomas Stacho, police spokesman. The savings is in the cost of the custom black-and-white paint job, since the cars come standard in black. The city plans to purchase 102 new full-size police cruisers soon, and the new scheme will save $76,500. The savings on the entire fleet would be closer to $300,000.