# Black & White Police Cars **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 30, 2002, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-white-police-cars/100962 "2002-03-30T21:49:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AnthonyM83](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@AnthonyM83](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnthonyM83)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2002, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-white-police-cars/100962/1 "2002-03-30T21:49:18Z")
Hi, I’ve been wondering where and when the original design for the black and white police cars originated and for what purpose. I assume that it’s to be easily recognizable, but don’t know if there are other reasons. Thanks, Anthony [Unlimited415@aol.com](mailto:Unlimited415@aol.com) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2002, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-white-police-cars/100962/2 "2002-03-31T00:04:59Z")
The term _black and white_ in reference to police cars first appeared in print in 1958.(Lighter-HDAS) Considering that the average car was one color until about 1955, you wouldn’t have had the term originating much before it did. As to why law enforcement chose to drive a black and white car, it probably boiled down to bureaucracy. They chose the cheepest car. Black and white. No need for style. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2002, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-white-police-cars/100962/3 "2002-03-31T04:44:15Z")
Well, I found nothing describing the theory and practice of making police cars black and white. My guess would be it was selected as a contrast back in the day when most cars were black, for both visibility and recognition. As to the practice alone, I found a bit. First, a [1955 Chevy black and white police car](http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/2941/1955pd.jpg). Here’s a [1951 Ford black and white police car](http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/N2551.doubleclick.com/B944287.2;kw=connect3_250;sz=250x250;ord=6467056?), but I don’t know that it’s in its original form. A [1946 Boston black and white](http://www.geocities.com/tango-k/oldchev.html). I don’t know what year [this](http://www.copcar.com/jan08_2002/a005_7.jpg) is, but the styling seems like late '40s. [Chevy c. 1940s in black and white](http://www.badgesource.com/copcar/dave/lv138s.jpg). I guess you might call this a [white and black 1946 Ford police car](http://www.copcar.com/dave2/dall46.jpg). A [photo whose subject is a 1960 Ford black and white police unit](http://www.copcar.com/dave2/arnold030.jpg) has something a lot older parked right next to it. And here we have a [1937 Chevrolet police black and white](http://www.carbocop.net/oldpd.jpg) at the American Police Museum. And a [1937 Ford Highway Patrol black and white](http://www.policecarsales.com/buz/buz070.jpg). Bingo! I think this might be the car next to the 1960 Ford linked above, although it came from a different site; it’s a [1929 Ford black and white unit](http://my.inil.com/~tfujise/copcars/1929ford.JPG). So, 1929 is as far back as I can push the practice tonight. I’ve noted in recent travels that the trend seems to be towards white police cars, with modern applique graphics. With the exception of Southern California, where black and whites still rule the day. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2002, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-white-police-cars/100962/4 "2002-03-31T05:35:27Z")
Great work, **Ringo**. Other than looking up the cite, I posted off the top of my head. Very bad of me. Now you have me wondering why the lack of the phrase in print until 1958. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2002, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-white-police-cars/100962/5 "2002-03-31T05:53:29Z")
Just re-read Lighter. Found his next cite. 1965, **black-and-white-taxi** , n. A traffic police automobile with white doors, as required by law. Required by law? When? And why? I did notice that many of Ringo’s pics had _white doors_. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2002, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-white-police-cars/100962/6 "2002-03-31T06:26:42Z")
Hmmm…, that’s a perplexing citation **sam**. _White_ doors certainly figure into much of the old black and white police patrol car configurations I’ve found, but I don’t know what it means. ---
**Author:** ![jsleek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8dc957/32.png) [@jsleek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsleek)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2002, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-white-police-cars/100962/7 "2002-03-31T06:53:28Z")
You youngsters don’t remember that the first mass produced cars were ford model Ts; and they were ALL black. To make police cars more visible, the doors were painted white. Cheap. works fine. lasts a long time. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2002, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-white-police-cars/100962/8 "2002-03-31T07:03:26Z")
I believe that was addressed **jsleek** : > [@](#): > > My guess would be it was selected as a contrast back in the day when most cars were black, for both visibility and recognition.