ST. HELENA, CA – St. Helena police cars will retain their traditional paint job, despite a recent phone survey that quizzed citizens on whether the cars should be repainted black and white, according to the St. Helena Star. Many St. Helena residents received automated calls from Police Chief Monty Castillo asking them to indicate by dialing whether the police department’s white cars should be repainted with the black and white paint scheme used by the Napa Police Department and the California Highway Patrol, and which will soon be adopted by the Napa County Sheriff’s Department.

At budget hearings, Castillo explained to Mayor Del Britton and Councilmembers Bonnie Schoch and Eric Sklar that some within the department feel that a black and white paint job would be more visible from afar, as well as more professional and traditional. However, councilmembers agreed the paint job should stay as it is, and that a black and white scheme would be too intimidating for St. Helena’s small-town force.

Castillo said he initiated the survey as part of his community-minded approach to police work. Councilmembers asked him to obtain council approval before conducting future surveys, according to the St. Helena Star.