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Orland Park unveils new police squad car design; trustees voice mixed reactions on flag graphic and recognizability
Summary
The Police Chief presented a modernized squad car livery to replace a 36‑year‑old design; trustees expressed support for refreshing the fleet but raised concerns that a distorted flag graphic could impair rear visibility and reduce instant recognizability for some residents.
The Police Chief presented a proposed new livery for Orland Park squad cars and emergency management vehicles and said six new squad cars will receive the design as they enter service.
The design retains the village’s red, white and blue theme but introduces a contemporary flag graphic and reflective blue and green stripes; the chief said the back window flag will be perforated to allow rear vision and that caps and chevrons will be added to new vehicles. "It maintains our red, white, and blue theme that we've had since the powder blue Dodge Diplomats back in 1988," the chief said.
Trustees praised the refresh but raised design concerns. Trustee Blaney and Trustee Katsenes questioned whether a flag graphic that is distorted or oversized could create a visibility hazard or confuse some residents; Trustee Lawrence said the new striping initially made it harder for him to immediately recognize the car as a police vehicle and asked staff to consider clearer placement for the word police and the village name. The chief confirmed the design will use reflective materials and that staff will share final cap designs at a future Village Board meeting.
No formal action was taken; trustees asked staff to explore minor tweaks to improve instant recognizability and ensure rear visibility before adding the design to new vehicles.
