A police car’s standard function is to help officers protect and serve the public, but the Oxford Village Council may add a third purpose ? advertising.
Council is considering participating in a North Carolina-based non-profit program called Government Acquisitions, Inc. The organization was established by a group of businessmen who answered President George W. Bush’s request to promote homeland security following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Under this program, government agencies that provide homeland security ? law enforcement, fire, rescue, EMS ? are eligible to obtain “brand-new, equipped” vehicles for $1 each in exchange for allowing advertisements to be displayed on them.
Only appropriate sponsors are allowed to advertise on the vehicles, according to the organization’s website www.GovernmentAcquisitions.com. No alcohol, tobacco, firearms, gambling, sex products, political campaigns, donuts or any other sponsors that “could reflect poorly on the department” are permitted to participate in the program.
Vehicles are replaced every three years to prevent breakdowns and cut down on repair costs, according to the website.
“The program gives the government agencies the vehicles and equipment they need to provide homeland security, and protect and serve in their community without having to obtain government funding or raise taxes,” Government Acquistions’ website stated.
“On the surface,” Police Chief Mike Neymanowski said the program “sounds real good” and could offer the department a “substantial savings” given that a brand-new, fully-equipped patrol car costs approximately $25,000.
But the chief admitted he still has a lot research to do before he can make any final judgements about the program or offer any recommendations to council.
Neymanowski said he’s in the process of contacting the Pleasant Ridge Police Department to find out how the program is working there.
Council President Steve Allen proposed the village police participate in the program at last week’s council meeting. He contacted Government Acquisitions and said the police department was approved for up to two vehicles. He suggested a sports utility vehicle and sedan as possible choices.
However, Police Chief Mike Neymanowski said if the village does participate he’d probably only want one new vehicle and use it to replace a higher-mileage patrol car.
Maintaining a fleet of four patrol cars is “sufficient at the present time” to serve the village’s needs, the chief said.
Some at the meeting voiced concerns over how the ads would look and the image it would present to the public. Resident Sue Bossardet said she doesn’t want the “rush to save a buck or two” to lead to McDonalds’ “golden arches” appearing on patrol cars.
Neymanowski said he would favor using advertisements for nationally-known companies as opposed to local businesses in order to avoid any appearances of “favoritism.”
“That wouldn’t be too ethical,” the chief said of using local ads, explaining that it might look the department is “endorsing” one local business over another.
To avoid a conflict of interest between the advertisers and government agencies, sponsors contract with and pay Government Acquisitions, who in turn donates the new vehicles to the agencies.
Allen noted that the village would have the “final say” as to which sponsors are “acceptable” to the community.
The ads would be placed “tastefully” and “quietly” so the patrol cars would still be “readily identifiable” and “unmistakable” as police vehicles to the public, he said.
Officials appeared to lean toward the “conservative theme” (pictured on page 4) in which patrol vehicles’ paint colors and decal layouts remain the same while the ads are placed on “unused spaces” such as the hood, trunk and quarter panels.
“The more conservative the better,” Allen told this reporter, adding he would like to see local organizations who help others, like Oxford-Addison Youth Assistance, included in the advertisements.
Allen said he wants to “take things slow” and do more research before a final decision is made.