The 180

Stop making police vehicles so dark and menacing

Police cars in Canada are changing. The familiar white, red and blue of fleets in cities like Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto are slowly being replaced by dark grey and matte black. In Johnathon Vaughn Strebly's view, it's a shift in the wrong direction.
A Vancouver police car parked in Stanley Park. (@VancouverPD/Twitter)

Toronto police recently unveiled a new colour scheme for their cruisers. 

Instead of the traditional white, blue, and red, the city's fleet of vehicles will be replaced with grey cars, complete with black and white lettering. 

And Toronto isn't the first city to make-over its cars. Police fleets in Vancouver and Calgary have both switched to a stealthy looking black and grey paint scheme. 

In the view of Johnathon Vaughn Strebly, it's a step in the wrong direction. 

Strebly is the president and ethics chair of Graphic Designers Canada and he argues that design creates reality. 

Our police culture, how officers show up,  needs to reflect who we are as a nation.- Johnathon Vaughn Strebly

He says police officers are courageous, responsible individuals who are integral to our safety and well-being, and he argues if they want to reflect that, it's time to lose the intimidating colour scheme on police fleets. 

We need officers on the street engaging community, visiting schools, and chatting with seniors.  Not lurking around, scaring the crap out of law-abiding citizens.- Johnathon Vaughn Strebly