The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is rolling out new visual designs for its front-line police vehicles later this summer. It’s the first time RCMP vehicles have received a new look in over 30 years. In a news release, the RCMP says it’s updating the look of its vehicles “to improve visibility and provide a modern, distinctive appearance.” “The updated look features white doors on a black base, along with high visibility, reflective graphics to ensure the vehicles can be easily recognized in all conditions—day or night, in rural or urban settings, and across Canada’s diverse climates,” says the RCMP release. “This ensures RCMP vehicles are clearly identifiable as law enforcement vehicles while remaining visually distinct as the RCMP.” There will be some variations in vehicle designs, as provinces, territories, and municipalities will be permitted to include local identifiers. “We understand that any change to vehicle appearance can raise concerns about impersonation,” says the RCMP release. “If you are ever unsure whether a vehicle or person is a legitimate RCMP police officer: you can call your local RCMP detachment to verify the car number, license plate, or police officer’s name or badge number. If you feel unsafe, lock your doors and call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number.” RCMP vehicles with new and old designs will operate side-by-side for some time to come. The federal agency says the switch in vehicle designs will be “gradual,” and that current vehicles will remain in service until they reach the criteria for fleet replacement. No timeline was provided for how long it will take to complete the switch, nor how many vehicles in total will be redesigned.
