Rethink this colour

What’s up with police and their patrol cars? For some reason they’re changing from friendly, approachable white to more ominous colour schemes of black and dark grey.

It’s not just in Toronto, where the police service began quietly introducing its new fleet with “RoboCop” grey markings just over a month ago. Early verdict is that most of us don’t like it. A poll for the Star last week found that 60 per cent prefer the older white model, and just over a quarter like the new one.

Vancouver police made a similar switch from white to mostly black cars a couple of years ago, and Calgary did the same recently. And across the United States there seems to be a pattern of trading in light-coloured cruisers for darker patrol cars.

Perhaps there are just trends in cop car colours, like everything else. But to us it feels too much like a slide toward more intimidating, more military-looking vehicles. It may not be what police forces intend, but that’s the message it sends.

Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders says he decided on the new colour scheme and “there was no deep thought in it.” Plus, he says, we’ll all get used to the new colours over time.

The chief should think a bit more deeply before he gives the go-ahead for the entire new fleet to be robed in dark grey. There are issues of visibility to be considered, as well as the image that the Toronto Police Service wants to project.

Chief Saunders told the Star he wants to strengthen community relations, close “gaps” between the police and the public. He should ponder whether a more ominous design for the force’s most visible presence fits that bill. We don’t think so.

The colour change feels too much like a slide towards more intimidating, more military-looking vehicles