Public perceptions of, and preferences toward, police vehicle designs: A mixed-method test of a theoretical question

Abstract

PurposePolice vehicles are embedded in the fabric of modern police. In addition to providing transportation and storage for officers, they act as important symbols of police. As part of the present research, we extend previous work that has documented the perceptual effects of different types and aesthetics of police vehicles by empirically assessing public perceptions of, and preferences toward, police vehicle designs. MethodsUsing an online survey platform, we asked two large samples of Canadians (N = 3118) to indicate their preferences for various pictured police vehicle designs as well as freeform describe the most important components of a police vehicle design. ResultsThe results of our close-ended questions revealed a preference for the current dark blue design of the collaborating police agency followed by a predominately white design and an all-yellow design. The results of our open-ended questions revealed a strong preference for police vehicle designs that are highly visible and identifiable. ConclusionsPolice vehicle designs elicit important public reactions. Our analyses of such reactions suggest that police vehicles should be highly visible, identifiable, and communicate positive messaging. We discuss our findings with respect to their scholarly and practical implications.