The Beaumont, Texas, Police Department has revealed a new vehicle wrap that will assist it in its efforts to recruit new officers.

The department has 24/7 patrol coverage, so its units are always on the road in all areas of the city. Essentially, this makes their vehicles moving billboards. With the wraps, it can continuously advertise the information with no additional cost after the initial installation. This saves time and money compared to other advertising methods.

The Police Department was able to partner with the City of Beaumont’s Fleet Department, which assisted it with the associated cost for the recruitment wraps. To keep the graphics looking crisp, the fleet team uses a product called Arlon SLX wrap that provides UV protection. The Police Department follows proper care and maintenance instructions recommended by the vendor to keep the wraps in good condition.

“Because of what appears to be a nationwide trend of police departments battling an officer shortage, we believe the associated cost from these wraps was necessary and important to better serve and recruit from our own community,” said Lt. Onafre Tyler of the City of Beaumont PD’s Training and Personnel department.

It turns out, the idea is working. The recruitment wraps have resulted in an increase in the number of contacts due to the information provided on the wraps. Potential applicants are calling and asking various questions about the qualifications for the job. The department also had a significant increase in the number of applicants from its last hiring process that it believes is associated with the wraps. A brief survey was conducted on all applicants that participated in a recent written and physical testing that revealed 10% of those applicants were a direct result from the vehicle wraps.

The Police Department uses the Ford F-150 PPV due to constant threat of storms. Its higher elevation allows it to go where other police vehicles can’t without worry of flooding out.

“The officers love the room, versatility, accessibility, and convenience of the new platform. We have a tri-fold top hard cover on the bed with a slide out tray for other gear,” explained Jeff Harville, fleet manager for the City of Beaumont.

All of the department’s equipment is selected by Harville. The fleet department upfits all equipment to meet the needs of the police department, as well as maintains the units in addition to a combined city fleet total of over 1,350 units. The graphics of the recruitment vehicles are provided by the city fleet’s current vendor, Image 360 Graphics in Beaumont.