To ghost or not to ghost

#MiddleburyCT #PoliceCars #GhostLettering #BlackAndWhite

The newer police cruiser, top, has what is called “ghost” lettering, which is muted during daylight but highly visible when light hits it at night. The older cruiser, bottom, has the traditional black-and-white wrap. The Middlebury Police Commission is discussing the two options. (Marjorie Needham photos)

By MARJORIE NEEDHAM

To ghost or not to ghost (or to ghost some but not all) is the question currently before the Middlebury Police Commission. It was discussed at the September 14 meeting, and at their October 13 meeting, they plan to take a close look at the vehicles in the parking lot and then discuss the matter further.

At the September meeting, Commissioner Ralph Barra explained the colors on the black-and-white wraps on the majority of the vehicles are fading, and the white is looking dingy. When we visited the police station September 29, we saw many vehicles with fading colors or discolored white and one vehicle with obvious cracks running through the white paint. The department currently has three or four vehicles with ghost lettering and the balance (about 10) have black-and-white wraps.

At the September meeting, Deputy Chief Ronald Hunt said three or four vehicles have cracked and fading wraps. Middlebury’s police vehicles are not garaged, so they sit outside exposed to the elements. Hunt said there would be no worry about the ghost lettered vehicles’ paint cracking and fading.

Middlebury Police Chief Patrick Deely said the officer who will serve as a school resource officer would like that vehicle considered for ghost lettering.

Commissioner Tom King asked whether this would change the overall look of the vehicles and the public’s recognition of them. Deely said other departments are transitioning to ghost lettering.

Commissioner Fran Barton expressed concern about the public and visibility, and Commissioner Rita Smith said she could understand using ghost lettered vehicles for investigatory work, detectives and sergeants, but she wasn’t sure about having them on patrol cars. She said she believed residents want to see where the vehicles are, and the current black-and-white vehicles are much more visible.

An online search showed some departments have hybrid fleets of cruisers with part of them having black-and-white wraps while others have ghost lettering. This seems to be what Commissioner Smith was suggesting.

Chairman George Moreira said they should obtain information on the cost of the ghost lettering and discuss and vote on it at their next meeting. That next meeting will be Tuesday, October 13, at 6 p.m. at the Middlebury Police Station.

Would residents like to share their thoughts on this matter? If so, please send an email to mbisubmit@gmail.com with the subject line “Police Cars” or mail a note to Middlebury Bee-Intelligencer, P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762.