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Billboards with warning lights
SCHERERVILLE, Ind. (AP) - Faced with tight public-safety
budgets, some Lake County communities are considering allowing
advertisers to use police cars as speeding billboards.
Fire trucks and ambulances also would be fair game for
advertisers under a proposal by a North Carolina company.
Government Acquisitions Inc. promises to provide government
agencies with emergency vehicles for three years for $1 each - as
long as it can place ads all over the vehicles.
Cedar Lake is in the final stages of approving a contract for
three police cars. And the town of Lowell already has signed on for
five police cars. Schererville and St. John are considering the
idea.
Police officers, firefighters and those who keep the books said
selling ads on public safety vehicles may answer the growing
problem of how to afford high-tech computer systems, radios and
other equipment.
But others criticize the idea of ad-clad cruisers as tacky and
demeaning.
The Lake County Sheriff's Department will not consider the plan
no matter how much money it could generate, Chief of Police Gary
Martin said.
"That vehicle represents public safety," he said. "We
wouldn't want to make it a walking advertisement or billboard."
Government Acquisitions Inc. said the advertising can be done
tastefully. It boasts to companies about the potential millions of
viewers indirectly exposed to their ads while watching the news.
Ambulances, it has said, could be used to target senior
citizens, and pet products can be featured on K-9 units or
animal-control vehicles.
Regardless, officials said, they will not accept an
inappropriate vehicle. And the company's contract gives them that
option.
"It will have to be something tasteful and appealing before we
even allow it," said Lt. Roger Patz of the Cedar Lake Police
Department.
Some public officials who are analyzing the contract said they
will not sign a deal that does not feel right.
"My first vision is seeing a vehicle plastered with
advertising, which would be gaudy and we wouldn't want that,"
Schererville Town President Michael Troxell told The Times for a
story published Sunday.
Based on the contract, the vehicles could either have multiple
displays or one sponsor that owns all the space. Advertisements
could be placed anywhere not set aside for agency identification.
Gambling, tobacco, guns and alcohol promotions are banned.
Schererville Fire Chief Bob Patterson, who wants the town to
look at getting three sport-utility vehicles through the deal, said
the proposal could be a good for the city and taxpayers.
"I would hope people would look at the fact that we tried to
save the taxpayers money," he said. "Money is always tight."
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
budgets, some Lake County communities are considering allowing
advertisers to use police cars as speeding billboards.
Fire trucks and ambulances also would be fair game for
advertisers under a proposal by a North Carolina company.
Government Acquisitions Inc. promises to provide government
agencies with emergency vehicles for three years for $1 each - as
long as it can place ads all over the vehicles.
Cedar Lake is in the final stages of approving a contract for
three police cars. And the town of Lowell already has signed on for
five police cars. Schererville and St. John are considering the
idea.
Police officers, firefighters and those who keep the books said
selling ads on public safety vehicles may answer the growing
problem of how to afford high-tech computer systems, radios and
other equipment.
But others criticize the idea of ad-clad cruisers as tacky and
demeaning.
The Lake County Sheriff's Department will not consider the plan
no matter how much money it could generate, Chief of Police Gary
Martin said.
"That vehicle represents public safety," he said. "We
wouldn't want to make it a walking advertisement or billboard."
Government Acquisitions Inc. said the advertising can be done
tastefully. It boasts to companies about the potential millions of
viewers indirectly exposed to their ads while watching the news.
Ambulances, it has said, could be used to target senior
citizens, and pet products can be featured on K-9 units or
animal-control vehicles.
Regardless, officials said, they will not accept an
inappropriate vehicle. And the company's contract gives them that
option.
"It will have to be something tasteful and appealing before we
even allow it," said Lt. Roger Patz of the Cedar Lake Police
Department.
Some public officials who are analyzing the contract said they
will not sign a deal that does not feel right.
"My first vision is seeing a vehicle plastered with
advertising, which would be gaudy and we wouldn't want that,"
Schererville Town President Michael Troxell told The Times for a
story published Sunday.
Based on the contract, the vehicles could either have multiple
displays or one sponsor that owns all the space. Advertisements
could be placed anywhere not set aside for agency identification.
Gambling, tobacco, guns and alcohol promotions are banned.
Schererville Fire Chief Bob Patterson, who wants the town to
look at getting three sport-utility vehicles through the deal, said
the proposal could be a good for the city and taxpayers.
"I would hope people would look at the fact that we tried to
save the taxpayers money," he said. "Money is always tight."
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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