Toronto police put out call for ideas on what next cruiser should look like
If you've been looking to design a sweet ride, well, the Toronto police want you.
The city's police service has put out a call for ideas about what its next fleet of cruisers should look like. And, while the online petition has some parameters — the background colour will likely range between white, grey, navy and black — there are some blue sky questions in there as well.
Hint: A grey so-called stealth model likely won't fly. A public uproar over the design — with repeated complaints about it being a "stealth vehicle" — prompted Chief Mark Saunders to stop the rollout of more cars.
Saunders told CBC's Metro Morning last year that "no deep thought" went into changing to cruiser to a grey and black design.
But judging by the questions in the survey released by police Tuesday, there will be plenty of reflection the second time around.
Residents have to decide whether they want the 700 new cruisers to most reflect "professionalism" or "forward thinking" values. Should they project "authority" or "reassurance"? Should they have a swoosh? What else should be displayed on the vehicles?
It's a lot to wrap in one car.
Chief's biggest regret
But Saunders clearly wants to get it right: he said in an end of year interview with CBC Toronto that the design of the new cruisers was his biggest regret of last year.
Some parts of the cruiser can't be changed, however. Apparently, the letter on the roof of the car, in this case a T, lets helicopters know to which city the vehicle belongs.
The vehicles have had their current design since the mid-80s, with the last fleet being ordered arriving around 2007. The survey will be open to the public until May 9.
