Assemblyman Calls It ‘Stupid,’ Wants Another Vote : Bill Whistles Down Pizza Chain’s ‘NYPD’ Cars

Legislation that would bring to a halt a San Diego-based pizza chain’s police car-like delivery vehicles sped through the Assembly 51-8 on Wednesday, but will be reconsidered today at the request of Assemblyman Richard E. Floyd (D-Hawthorne).

Floyd said he was not paying attention when Assemblyman Steve Peace (D-Chula Vista) “mumbled” through the bill, calling it “non-controversial.”

It was, Floyd decided when his attention was finally attracted, “a stupid bill” addressing a non-existent problem that “nobody in the world, except Steve Peace and somebody who owns a pizza place cares about.”

Caring in this case was Daniel Crotta, a 36-year-old lawyer, who owns a Mission Valley outlet he now calls the New York Pizza Department. Its white delivery sedans have NYPD markings and fake light bars on the tops. Employees wear police-type uniforms.

The San Diego Police Department and the City Council asked for legislation making it illegal to own or operate a car resembling a police car or to install real or phony light bars.

Peace contended that the cars pose a danger to citizens who might confuse them with real police vehicles, not to mention the problems they could cause for pizza chain employees who might find themselves targets for those who do not particularly like the police.

Crotta has two more NYPD outlets under construction in San Diego County as well as one each in Studio City and South Pasadena in Los Angeles County.