All squad cars used by the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office eventually will be white, a shift from the older brown-and-tan cruisers.
The change — which is expected to be less costly — has nothing to do with the Evansville Police Department’s new black vehicles, said Sheriff Eric Williams.
“We’ve had our white cars longer than they’ve had their black cars,” Williams said. “So it really is not about what one is doing (in response to) the other. But I guess people could see it that way.”
The decision came more than a year ago as a way to cut the added cost of buying two-tone squad cars.
The tan-and-brown combo that’s been an Indiana Sheriffs’ Association standard since about 1960 costs $1,500 to $1,800 extra to place on cars.
The sheriff’s office here buys about 10 cars a year.
That color combo isn’t available year-round, so replacing squad cars midyear means a costly custom-paint job or waiting until they’re available again, Williams said.
Even when the two colors are available, they change over the years and shades vary between manufacturers, he added.
That takes away from “the uniformity that is desired in the fleet,” Williams said in a news release announcing the change.
“The white cars have also been found to be cooler inside,” Williams said.
Residents can expect to see white cars and two-toned cars in the approximately 70-car fleet throughout the next few years until the older ones wear out.
The switch came at a time when changes were coming anyway. Ford is discontinuing production of the Crown Victoria after this year, and Williams’ office is deciding what its next fleet vehicle will be.
It could be Ford’s new Interceptor, the Dodge Charger or the Chevrolet Impala.
Officials will likely decide by the end of the year. It’s unclear how much more they will cost compared with the base $22,000 for the Crown Victorias.
“Whatever we pick … if we wanted to stick with the tan-and-brown, there’s going to be an upcharge.”
The sheriff’s office already has a white Dodge Charger.
It also has an “eco-save” drive mode, which automatically changes the number of its eight cylinders firing during certain types of driving, said Sgt. John Snyder.
The change — which is expected to be less costly — has nothing to do with the Evansville Police Department’s new black vehicles, said Sheriff Eric Williams.
“We’ve had our white cars longer than they’ve had their black cars,” Williams said. “So it really is not about what one is doing (in response to) the other. But I guess people could see it that way.”
The decision came more than a year ago as a way to cut the added cost of buying two-tone squad cars.
The tan-and-brown combo that’s been an Indiana Sheriffs’ Association standard since about 1960 costs $1,500 to $1,800 extra to place on cars.
The sheriff’s office here buys about 10 cars a year.
That color combo isn’t available year-round, so replacing squad cars midyear means a costly custom-paint job or waiting until they’re available again, Williams said.
Even when the two colors are available, they change over the years and shades vary between manufacturers, he added.
That takes away from “the uniformity that is desired in the fleet,” Williams said in a news release announcing the change.
“The white cars have also been found to be cooler inside,” Williams said.
Residents can expect to see white cars and two-toned cars in the approximately 70-car fleet throughout the next few years until the older ones wear out.
The switch came at a time when changes were coming anyway. Ford is discontinuing production of the Crown Victoria after this year, and Williams’ office is deciding what its next fleet vehicle will be.
It could be Ford’s new Interceptor, the Dodge Charger or the Chevrolet Impala.
Officials will likely decide by the end of the year. It’s unclear how much more they will cost compared with the base $22,000 for the Crown Victorias.
“Whatever we pick … if we wanted to stick with the tan-and-brown, there’s going to be an upcharge.”
The sheriff’s office already has a white Dodge Charger.
It also has an “eco-save” drive mode, which automatically changes the number of its eight cylinders firing during certain types of driving, said Sgt. John Snyder.
