Let's Talk about the Calgary Police Service

[para transit fellow]

Why did CPS add "Vigilance" to their motto?

Who are they watching?

[photon]

They don't tap when they attack.

(Fun Fact: Google image search for 'police magic the gathering' has Lethbridge police logo in the top results)

/nerd

[photon]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I doubt you'll find many cultures where the color black is considered particularly friendly.

Some eastern cultures have an opposite view of black and white compared to us. White is the colour of death, sadness, funerals, while black is the colour of prosperity, health.

But I tend to agree that white is less intimidating in our culture so if I were choosing I'd pick white over black, and black is my favorite colour.

[Acey]

Originally Posted by zamler

I dunno about you but a cop dressed in all black is more intimidating than if they were dressed in drunk tank pink.

Montreal police wore these to protest pension reform, and it wasn't just for a day or two. It's been two years.

[AltaGuy]

I've just thought those were the uniforms for the last few months!

[InglewoodFan]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

So why have police forces become more militarized in North America generally speaking? What has caused this?

I need to dig for the article I read a while back, but the thesis was that the militarization of US policing was a result of a deep trough of Homeland Security money combined with lots of military surplus gear being available post foreign entanglements.

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by InglewoodFan

I need to dig for the article I read a while back, but the thesis was that the militarization of US policing was a result of a deep trough of Homeland Security money combined with lots of military surplus gear being available post foreign entanglements.

The main catch being free gifting of armored vehicles from the US military to police forces on the condition that the police forces have to use them. If they aren't used they have to be returned to the US military so that's why Mayberry Police have an APV that they love to trot out at public events and such.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Acey

Montreal police wore these to protest pension reform, and it wasn't just for a day or two. It's been two years.

Are they aware that Montreal is a largely Urban environment? So...camo isnt going to be particularly effective? I mean, unless they're pursuing a perp in a heavily forested environment. And that girl...unless shes hiding in a Japanese Blossom Garden her camouflage is having the opposite effect.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Has nothing to do with supply. White is just a harder color to paint.

I agree the supply probably doesn't matter. They are ordering these vehicles in bulk directly from Ford. They are not buying them "off a lot".

What does it matter if white is harder to paint? They are ordering these vehicles from the Factor to suite their needs. They are painted by robots anyway, do you know if there is a cost increase? If there is, it is probably minor. On Ford's website they list 19 different colour options for the interceptor.

https://www.ford.com/fordpoliceinter...ign/design_04/

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Burninator

I agree the supply probably doesn't matter. They are ordering these vehicles in bulk directly from Ford. They are not buying them "off a lot".

What does it matter if white is harder to paint? They are ordering these vehicles from the Factor to suite their needs. They are painted by robots anyway, do you know if there is a cost increase? If there is, it is probably minor. On Ford's website they list 19 different colour options for the interceptor.

https://www.ford.com/fordpoliceinter...ign/design_04/

Yeah, this "black is cheaper" seems like a bit of a dubious claim to me. Go to any car manufacturer site (including Ford) and configure a car. Black is not cheaper. It's almost always the same price for the same paint, and we all know a car manufacturer is going to wring every dollar out of you. If it's more expensive to paint it white, the price is going to go up.

They offer that white door/roof vinyl treatment with every colour on that Interceptor site.

As for white being "harder to paint", this ain't much in the way of evidence, but on every car show I've seen where a bunch of foulmouthed guys to build a car to meet some made-up deadline, black is the hardest color to paint. That could be different in a factory, of course. I don't know why, but it could be.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by Burninator

I agree the supply probably doesn't matter. They are ordering these vehicles in bulk directly from Ford. They are not buying them "off a lot".

What does it matter if white is harder to paint? They are ordering these vehicles from the Factor to suite their needs. They are painted by robots anyway, do you know if there is a cost increase? If there is, it is probably minor. On Ford's website they list 19 different colour options for the interceptor.

https://www.ford.com/fordpoliceinter...ign/design_04/

It doesn't matter which is what I said in my previous post replying to someone who stated that as a reason.

There is no way this is a cost issue.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Burninator

I agree the supply probably doesn't matter. They are ordering these vehicles in bulk directly from Ford. They are not buying them "off a lot".

What does it matter if white is harder to paint? They are ordering these vehicles from the Factor to suite their needs. They are painted by robots anyway, do you know if there is a cost increase? If there is, it is probably minor. On Ford's website they list 19 different colour options for the interceptor.

https://www.ford.com/fordpoliceinter...ign/design_04/

"Of the lot" doesn't literally mean off a dealer lot, just the ones that they have already manufactured and can have delivered right away. If they want something other than black there's a waiting period and more costs involved

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by btimbit

"Of the lot" doesn't literally mean off a dealer lot, just the ones that they have already manufactured and can have delivered right away. If they want something other than black there's a waiting period and more costs involved

Every cop car is specially made so why would they care about the color? They don't make cop cars until they're ordered.

A lot cheaper to make one from scratch that's customized than to rip apart a new one and specialize it.

[WhiteTiger]

Topical note on CPS cars over the years

https://www.facebook.com/notes/riley...64748463767249

[Addick]

Originally Posted by WhiteTiger

Topical note on CPS cars over the years

https://www.facebook.com/notes/riley...64748463767249

While that was an interesting read, it didn't really address how some might feel the livery to be intimidating. Constable Babott made it clear that he does not feel intimidated by black cruisers but he failed to explain why others shouldn't either. There was interesting information about the history of liveries but I felt there was too much deflection (see: his answers to the aggressive look of handcuffs and black & white cars).

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by Addick

While that was an interesting read, it didn't really address how some might feel the livery to be intimidating. Constable Babott made it clear that he does not feel intimidated by black cruisers but he failed to explain why others shouldn't either. There was interesting information about the history of liveries but I felt there was too much deflection (see: his answers to the aggressive look of handcuffs and black & white cars).

Perhaps try addressing it with him on the note. He's pretty good at responding to Facebook stuff, and is generally rather engaging (all the CPS "Facebook Constables" are, really).

To add a bit further, I learned during conversations about the cars and their decalling (and why are folks always just intimidated by the cars? Are the vans, SUV's and trucks not intimidating, too...just the cars? Is the addition of the front pushbar really that intimidating to people?) that the slogan "To Serve and Protect" isn't actually "The Policeman's Motto". This was from another post that Cst. Babott made:

"It has never been on our vehicles to my knowledge.
That is the motto of the LAPD that has been adopted by many other police forces but not by us as an official motto."

[Lubicon]

I know looking at one year statistics can be misleading but last night there was an officer involved shooting. It was the 8th one this year in Calgary compared to 3 last year. Alberta as a whole has seen 10 this year so that makes it 8 for Calgary, 2 for the rest of the Province. Not sure why the large jump in numbers this year and why so many more in Calgary. Of course it could just be a statistical anomaly and revert back to historical norms next year. Nevertheless interesting to observe.

[jayswin]

Were also seeing staggering increases in all crimes in this city due to the economy, so maybe last year was starting to trend towards more shootings and now this year it's coming to a head?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

I know looking at one year statistics can be misleading but last night there was an officer involved shooting. It was the 8th one this year in Calgary compared to 3 last year. Alberta as a whole has seen 10 this year so that makes it 8 for Calgary, 2 for the rest of the Province. Not sure why the large jump in numbers this year and why so many more in Calgary. Of course it could just be a statistical anomaly and revert back to historical norms next year. Nevertheless interesting to observe.

Well...in macro terms crime typically increases along with unemployment and poor economic conditions.

As times get tougher for the people on the lower end, those people get desperate. Desperate people do desperate things.

[llwhiteoutll]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

It doesn't matter which is what I said in my previous post replying to someone who stated that as a reason.

There is no way this is a cost issue.

It's not just the cost of the vehicle, it's also the time it takes to set it up before it's put into service and decal costs.