Calgary police begin mandatory alcohol screening at Checkstops

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Locke

And this in conjunction with the new colour-scheme makes the Police seem decidedly less friendly.

At least that move they backed up with good reasoning though, and actually saves them a lot of money.

[underGRADFlame]

Originally Posted by btimbit

Agreed. And if you're a drug dealer, you're way likely to do something dumb when faced with that vs a Ford Explorer.

But that's why I 100% agree with the people saying it would be nice to see more details on the calls. Could be an easy way to silence the critics if they showed why they need it instead of just going "trust us"

The stats are widely available (here), the problem with providing details on the calls are twofold:
1. Protecting the privacy of those involved in said calls (offenders, victims and witnesses) and;
2. Providing those details while protecting the privacy in 1. What level of detail is enough? Who is going to pay for every report to be scrutinized to ensure privacy is upheld just in case someone wants to know. While each incident has to be classified into a certain category (assault/domestic/robbery/mental health) they all have a unique set of factors that require different levels of response.

If you want details of an incident place a FOIP request, but be prepared to shell out the cash for every request you place, as it takes time/money to prepare each request.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by btimbit

At least that move they backed up with good reasoning though, and actually saves them a lot of money.

Oh, I get that. It was still a mistake.

It saved them some money out of their budget. Those savings went....?

But it harmed their overall mandate and probably made the jobs of every cop harder because now the level of trust between civilian and officer at every transaction starts just that little bit lower.

Was it worth it?

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Locke

Oh, I get that. It was still a mistake.

It saved them some money out of their budget. Those savings went....?

But it harmed their overall mandate and probably made the jobs of every cop harder because now the level of trust between civilian and officer at every transaction starts just that little bit lower.

Was it worth it?

Eh I think that criticism is overblown. Harmed their mandate? This was almost a country wide change, and there's been black and white police cars in North America forever, including in Calgary before. Other than a few dozen complaints online I really dont think people are too worried about what colour a police car is. What matters at the start of every interaction with the police is wether or not they're being #######s, if they're a cheerful person their car won't matter

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by underGRADFlame

The stats are widely available (here), the problem with providing details on the calls are twofold:
1. Protecting the privacy of those involved in said calls (offenders, victims and witnesses) and;
2. Providing those details while protecting the privacy in 1. What level of detail is enough? Who is going to pay for every report to be scrutinized to ensure privacy is upheld just in case someone wants to know. While each incident has to be classified into a certain category (assault/domestic/robbery/mental health) they all have a unique set of factors that require different levels of response.

If you want details of an incident place a FOIP request, but be prepared to shell out the cash for every request you place, as it takes time/money to prepare each request.

Stats are great - nobody is suggesting that the police don't have a lot to deal with. But in response to specific, valid questioning of the 500 calls to justify the new vehicle, they could've/should've provided more detail. Of course, not names and identifiable details. A social media post with "a week in the life of our armoured rescue vehicle" would have done a lot to explain to the general public, myself included, how it could possibly be dispatched 500 times in a year. In the absence of that info, or any specific explanation of how this thing gets used 1-2 times per day, makes the public question it more. Simple PR, and improves trust with the public.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally Posted by underGRADFlame

Just for clarity sake..

Mobile Command Vehicle


Armoured Rescue Vehicle

The following questions are 100% my nievety, I don't mean this to insinuate that you're wrong.

What's the real difference?

I mean, the one with the decals on the top has a dish on top, and is larger. The one in military grey appears to have thicker armour.

While smaller, if the one on the bottom was painted as the one on the top, could it fulfill a similar function?

Does the one on the top have similar protection as the one on the bottom?

I mean they look different, but I don't have a full understanding of exactly what either does.

[OMG!WTF!]

Originally Posted by btimbit

Eh I think that criticism is overblown. Harmed their mandate? This was almost a country wide change, and there's been black and white police cars in North America forever, including in Calgary before. Other than a few dozen complaints online I really dont think people are too worried about what colour a police car is. What matters at the start of every interaction with the police is wether or not they're being #######s, if they're a cheerful person their car won't matter

It is all about perception though. Most people never interact with the person in the car. But literally everyone sees the car and they do look more dangerous.



Police do seem much much nicer then they used to be though. I've noticed a dramatic change in how friendly they are. That changes so much public perception.

[underGRADFlame]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

Stats are great - nobody is suggesting that the police don't have a lot to deal with. But in response to specific, valid questioning of the 500 calls to justify the new vehicle, they could've/should've provided more detail. Of course, not names and identifiable details. A social media post with "a week in the life of our armoured rescue vehicle" would have done a lot to explain to the general public, myself included, how it could possibly be dispatched 500 times in a year. In the absence of that info, or any specific explanation of how this thing gets used 1-2 times per day, makes the public question it more. Simple PR, and improves trust with the public.

@CalgaryPolice
@CstSmith
@CstCJMartin

Tweet them... suggest it. Just because they haven't provided the information doesn't mean they wouldn't.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Wow, this is a pretty epic thread derail.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by OMG!WTF!

It is all about perception though. Most people never interact with the person in the car. But literally everyone sees the car and they do look more dangerous.

We've beat this topic to death here before, I don't really want to go too far down that road again. I just don't see it as being scary or more intimidating one bit. The black and white police car is iconic on this continent.

Besides, it's a Ford, it could be painted arid cadpat with skulls on it, it's still the one of the friendliest vehicles on the road to me

[underGRADFlame]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

The following questions are 100% my nievety, I don't mean this to insinuate that you're wrong.

What's the real difference?

I mean, the one with the decals on the top has a dish on top, and is larger. The one in military grey appears to have thicker armour.

While smaller, if the one on the bottom was painted as the one on the top, could it fulfill a similar function?

Does the one on the top have similar protection as the one on the bottom?

I mean they look different, but I don't have a full understanding of exactly what either does.

In simplest terms... MCV is used by the Generals (Command Staff) ARV is used by the troops (TAC), vastly different roles. MCV is not a tactical vehicle.

[Rando]

Canada should look at places like England for police colours. Bright + friendly v dark + unfriendly. The black and white look might be iconic but these cars aren't black and white, they're black, dark jet black. You don't see the white doors (only white to show off the logo), you see an all black vehicle. Secondly I don't care about how iconic a police cruiser looks.

The blue look was much better anyway. Though technically that's RCMP I suppose.

Some might take issue with my take, some might think it's silly to be intimidated by a colour scheme but it's part of the bigger picture. Just another slow advance to a military style police force. Police Officers engage with the public, the military doesn't. The two should look and act very different.

The blending is increasingly troublesome.

[btimbit]

How's it an advance toward something if its just going back to how they used to be? The black and white is returning to their roots, not going to some new uncharted territory.

Personally though I like red on a police car. Ironically the military police have the best colour scheme in the country in my opinion

[Rando]

Originally Posted by btimbit

How's it an advance toward something of its just going back to how they used to be? The black and white is returning to their roots, not going to some uncharted territory.

Because the decision didn't happen in a vacuum and no one ever talks about the "iconic black and white cruisers!" with love and awe. It's a nothing reason.

Personally though I like red on a police car.

Would love and red and white colour scheme. Red's a Calgary colour.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Rando

Because the decision didn't happen in a vacuum and no one ever talks about the "ironic black and white cruisers!" with love and awe. It's a nothing reason.


Would love and red and white colour scheme. Red's a Calgary colour.

Alanis Morissette feat. Micheal Jackson?

[Rando]

[Mccree]

I do not like the black police cars. Police cars should stand out. These blend in to much. To me it is like they are trying to hide (stealth) their presence.

The conspiracist in me says it is to write more tickets

[btimbit]

^Surprisingly, they state public recognition and enhanced visibility as another reason or the change. Again, the black and white being recognizable as a police car. I actually think the all white police cars blend in way way more. Spotting the sheriffs on Hwy 2 is way more difficult then the reflective decaling in Calgary


Looking back at old articles about when they first made the change it's full of quotes like "Going back to our roots" and "retro rebrand" with the cost savings being cited as the primary reason. This was done in 2012 and nobody complained about it until 2 or 3 years ago when police shootings in the US started being more and more publicized and public perception about police in general really dropped.

Originally Posted by Rando

Would love and red and white colour scheme. Red's a Calgary colour.

I definitely agree, red and Calgary just go together. Like I said, I love these

Spoiler!

And these are nice too

Spoiler!

But they're expensive

[OMG!WTF!]

Looking back at old articles about when they first made the change it's full of quotes like "Going back to our roots" and "retro rebrand" with the cost savings being cited as the primary reason. This was done in 2012 and nobody complained about it until 2 or 3 years ago when police shootings in the US started being more and more publicized and public perception about police in general really dropped.

Or 2 or 3 years ago is when there was a study done asking what people thought of the new vehicles.



https://calgaryherald.com/news/local...cruiser-colour

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by OMG!WTF!

Or 2 or 3 years ago is when there was a study done asking what people thought of the new vehicles.



https://calgaryherald.com/news/local...cruiser-colour

That was done in reaction to the sudden complaining about it