PRESCOTT, AZ – Beginning in spring 2007, the Prescott, Ariz., Police Department plans to change the design of its cars to a more universally accepted black-and-white color scheme. The change was needed because pedestrians mistook many of the police department’s cars as taxis. The current cars have a white background and long blue stripes down the sides, and the exteriors of the patrol vehicles bear a strong resemblance to taxicabs, according to the Daily Courier.

The design change will begin with eight new patrol cars that the Police Department will order this month. The new cars will come with a black exterior, and the department will have them fitted with white doors and the new design. That process will amount to a cost increase of about $400 per car over the old graphic design. For 12 existing vehicles that the department will have for at least two more years, retrofitting with the new design will cost about $900 per car.

A volunteer committee of about a half-dozen police department officials came up with the new design, according to the Daily Courier. All sworn officers ultimately voted on the design and chose the black-and-white color scheme.