Police Cars Getting Makeover

The Hopatcong Police department is getting a makeover of sorts.

For years, the department's patrol cars have been colored red, white and blue — instantly distinguishable from other area forces. Not any more.

Recently, the Hopatcong Police purchased a black-and-white Ford Crown Victoria. Police chief John Swanson expects the rest of his cars to look the same soon.

"We're going to be transitioning over, following that (color scheme) for any new cars we buy," he said.

The decision was made out of convenience and availability more than anything, Swanson said.

Ford, for a long time, had mostly been manufacturing all-white Crown Victorias, which many local departments and taxicab company favor. But, recently, it decided to revert to the 1950s-era black-and-white color template.

"Years ago, a black-and-white painted car was very commonplace," Swanson said. "Then (car companies) got away from that for a while.

"Nowadays, police cars are any color—metallic blue, gray, white. That's what Ford was pumping out, and nobody was going to pay the money to repaint cars."

Swanson said Roxbury's police department was one of the first to get back to the black-and-white scheme.

"They actually brought their cars down to the body shop and had them paint the front black," he said.

Swanson said the decision didn't at all factor in Roxbury's look. He said he wasn't trying to make the two departments patrol cars look alike.

"No," he said, laughing. "Nothing quite so sinister as that."