Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Police service back in black
Cruiser car change part of rebranding
KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES Enlarge Image
A WInnipeg police cruiser in 1979.
The Winnipeg Police Service is going retro with new cruiser cars that will be back in black.
But getting rid of the long-serving blue and white design for the cars is only part of the rebranding about to be unveiled. The WPS motto "Community Commitment'' will be exchanged for the arguably more inviting "Building Relationships.''
Related Items
The WPS wasn't able to comment Monday on the coming new looks -- officers are being invited to vote on which of the two designs for the cruiser cars they prefer -- but former deputy police chief Menno Zacharias warned that changing a long-held slogan could have mixed consequences.
"Removing the police service motto which forms a key component of the Winnipeg police badge and replacing it with a catch phrase popular with the current administration may be shortsighted," said Zacharias.
He said citizens tend to be more concerned with the quality of police service than the colour printed on the side of the car.
It is not clear yet when the final design will be chosen, but Mike Sutherland, president of the Winnipeg Police Association, said new colours could increase visibility and officer safety.
"The new decals would have more of an ability to reflect ambient light, which could enhance the safety of the vehicles," said Sutherland. "Better visibility of the vehicles can lead to better safety."
That's exactly what happened when the Ontario Provincial Police changed back to the classic black-and-white pattern for its cars in 2007.
"We have already seen a decrease in traffic fatalities," said Sgt. Pierre Chamberland, OPP media co-ordinator. "When you are more recognizable, people pay more attention to their driving patterns."
But it was not just the lure of safety that compelled the OPP to switch back to black.
Rather, it was an acknowledgment and pride in its police history.
"The colours go back to our pride in the uniform and our service," Chamberland said. "It is part of our legacy"
This type of rebranding, or nostalgic branding, can have a positive effect on public perception, said Sidney Eve Matrix, a professor of media at Queen's University.
"These kind of changes seem simple but they can make a huge difference," said Matrix. "Black and white conjures up images of the 'good old days' when things were easier."
Matrix said this kind of rebranding is becoming a national and international trend, where old becomes new, new becomes old, and even the police struggle to stand out from the crowd.
"By changing something to nostalgic colours, they are also essentially modernizing it," she said. "It is a way to differentiate themselves and also start new positive associations."
Matrix said the change in slogan can reflect a shift in policing style with officers realizing a stronger focus on social media may be needed to connect with a changing public.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 6, 2010 B1
-
WFP Hockey
Download our new hockey app for the iPhone for Winnipeg Jets updates
-
Editor's Bulletin
Sign up for daily bulletins from editor Margo Goodhand
-
Winnipeg Jets
All things NHL on our Jets landing page
-
Twitter
Follow our reporters and our news feeds on Twitter
-
News Cafe
Check out the menu, read our blog posts or get info on coming events
-
Facebook Fanpage
Follow our Facebook Fanpage for story links, contests and special events
Ads by Google
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
Poll
Most Popular
- Piers Morgan blasts 'gruesome' Madonna
- RCMP receptionist told Stobbe wife was dead
- Juror dismissed in second-degree murder trial of Mark Stobbe
- Steinbach booms to No. 3 city in province
- Cabela's to open massive store just west of IKEA site
- RCMP receptionist told Stobbe wife dead
- Should infants be allowed in the House of Commons?
- No comfort in trade talk: Veteran Thorburn says closely knit club well worth keeping together
- US teen gets life in prison for killing 9-year-old; called the murder "pretty enjoyable"
- Tassimo brewers and espresso packages recalled amid rupture, burn concerns
- Piers Morgan blasts 'gruesome' Madonna
- Clothing chain pulls Caterpillar boots to protest closure of London, Ont., plant
- Three winning tickets sold for Friday's $50 million Lotto Max jackpot
- Woman's car stolen at gunpoint at St. Vital mall, police say
- Eleven people killed after truck hits van in southwestern Ontario
- 'This is so silly': Mom and Dad tell story of baby Zade, born on side of Highway 59
- Stobbe said slaying during shopping trip 'strange': sister-in-law
- Tactical squad storms St. Vital house
- Woman sexually assaulted during noon-hour in Exchange District
- Restaurant Dubrovnik may be closed for good
- Do you smoke marijuana?
- Driver dead after SUV goes over Disraeli Bridge
- George Clooney's prank could end Pitt's career
- Piers Morgan blasts 'gruesome' Madonna
- Tina Maze strips down to her sports bra to send out underwear message: 'Not your business'
- Clothing chain pulls Caterpillar boots to protest closure of London, Ont., plant
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Car's plunge off Disraeli fatal
- Two children, two women die in fire
- Kate Beckinsale's weight fears over Underworld catsuit
- Tassimo brewers and espresso packages recalled amid rupture, burn concerns
- Cabela's to open massive store just west of IKEA site
- Fighting fire with knowledge
- Spain mourns death of Catalan painter, sculptor Antoni Tapies, top contemporary art figure
- Steinbach booms to No. 3 city in province
- Our 'true champion'
- Juror dismissed in second-degree murder trial of Mark Stobbe
- Flood reviews launched
- Lesson about war, power told with Shaw's comic touch
- Harper driven by libertarian ideology, not reality
- Tassimo brewers and espresso packages recalled amid rupture, burn concerns
- Swedish bunny's sheep herding skills becomes click-monster on YouTube
- League encourages hazing secrecy
- Cabela's to open massive store just west of IKEA site
- Harper driven by libertarian ideology, not reality
- Northern fishing lodge destroyed by fire
- Police target drivers talking on cellphones, texting
- Obama torn by conflicting allies
- 'This is so silly': Mom and Dad tell story of baby Zade, born on side of Highway 59
- Fighting fire with knowledge
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Paddler Starkell was modern-day voyageur
- Tassimo brewers and espresso packages recalled amid rupture, burn concerns
- Driver dead after SUV goes over Disraeli Bridge
- Car's plunge off Disraeli fatal
- Canadian woman 'badly injured' in Mexico, local media report apparent beating
- Winnipeg mother watches as car stolen with child inside
- Swedish bunny's sheep herding skills becomes click-monster on YouTube
- League encourages hazing secrecy
- Cabela's to open massive store just west of IKEA site
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010; View the changes. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.