Why American cop cars are black and white actually has a story behind it

The iconic black and white American cop car is recognizable worldwide.

If you’ve watched any American police films, you’ll be well acquainted with the cars racing into action, with a red and blue siren blazing on top.

But how did these cars come to be black and white?

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The story behind cop cars isn’t so black and white

Police agencies famously work on tight budgets, especially when it comes to their cars.

A century ago, most cars were finished off with cheap black paint.

To distinguish cop cars from the general populace, it was decided to add some white to set them apart.

Until the California Highway Patrol was formed in 1929, traffic officers in the state did not always have consistency in their vehicles.

Rick Mattos, chairman of the CHP Museum, explained: “We have a 1923 Hupmobile that was used by a seasonal officer in El Dorado County that is painted green.”

After the CHP was established, all cars were painted white.

Fast forward a few decades to the 1940s and 1950s, and popular media is beginning to center the black and white designs.

Dragnet, first aired in 1952, revolves around the Los Angeles Police Department, and their black and whites featured prominently.

By the middle of the decade, Ideal Toys was selling model kits of a black and white LAPD 1955 Ford.

Kids were invited to ‘Build the authentic Dragnet police car you see on television!’ through ads.

Other toys inspired by the show helped bolster the image of a black and white patrol car.

The cars used on the show were often borrowed from LAPD units.

Other shows such as Highway Patrol helped cement the idea of black-and-white cop cars in the minds of the American public.

How the Red, White and Blue embraced Black-And-White

Nationally, the picture looks very much the same.

Bikes, SUVs, trucks and patrol cars follow the same color scheme in police departments across the country.

This is the case in cities from Miami, Florida, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The Texas Department of Public Safety follows suit.

In fact, it’s a design choice that has been replicated around the world, with Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police and Mexico’s Guardia Nacional opting to take it on too.

An exact date on when black and white became the accepted color isn’t clear.

But one thing is for certain – it’s here to stay.

Obviously, there are variances throughout the world – cop cars in the UK for example incorporate blue and yellow into their design.

Over in Germany, it’s blue and silver.

But, if we’re being honest, black and white definitely has the biggest impact on a global scale.

Dubai has even opted to add a liveried Cybertruck to its police force, but that’s a whole other story.