PATERSON, NJ –Police cars in Paterson, N.J. will continue to be painted in the colors of red, white, and blue, according to a recent state court settlement brought on by a political feud. An outraged judge called the argument “stupid,” given the city’s serious crime problems, according to the Web site www.northjersey.com

State Superior Court Assignment Judge Robert Passero questioned how elected officials could keep 19 new patrol cruisers from taking to crime-infested streets because of a fight over what colors the cars should be. Mayor Joey Torres wanted them to be red, white, and blue, as the existing fleet is now. However, the council wanted the fleet changed to black and white, and — since November — has resisted approving a contract purchasing the new cars until the administration gave in.

But after Passero blasted the officials, 2nd Ward Councilman Aslon Goow — who also is chairman of the council’s public safety committee — said in court that he’d compromise.

This is just the latest round in a series of legal actions dating back to last year that center on the delineation of powers between the City Council and the administration, according to www.northjersey.com. Torres had filed a motion asking Passero to recognize the police director — not the City Council — as the appropriate authority to choose what colors the cars should be. The motion also asked Passero to rule that Torres may execute a contract to purchase the 19 new vehicles to replace aging ones already in the fleet.

The judge found that the police director — not the council — should be in charge of regulations governing the Police Department, contrary to an existing ordinance. Those regulations, among other things, include the kinds of uniforms and insignia police wear, under the judge’s order.

Attorneys for Torres maintain that under that order, the police director also has the authority to choose the police car colors, even if it isn’t explicitly stated.

The judge ultimately ruled that as much as he would like to see 19 new police cars on the streets, he doesn’t have the authority to override the council’s legal authority to approve or reject contracts presented by the mayor.

What’s more, since his ruling of last year is pending appeal, he said, he no longer has jurisdiction over the matter. After the proceedings, Goow said the council wanted black and white cars because those were the more common colors used universally among police departments.

In the past, he has also said that the mayor’s use of red, white and blue in combination with a star emblem was reflective of the Puerto Rican flag, according to the report. The mayor, of Puerto Rican heritage, has said he is willing to forgo the star, though he insists it was a symbol of authority and of America, not just Puerto Rico.

Goow concluded that, “I think by conceding, we did the right thing. At the end of the day, the residents of Paterson and the Police Department won.”