Southeast/ Long Beach : Police Car Decals Boost Civic Pride

Some Paramount residents might want their own police department, but given the costs involved, the city has given them the next best thing.

The fleet of Los Angeles County sheriff’s vehicles that patrol the city’s streets recently underwent a face lift that city officials hope will make for better relationships between deputies and their constituents: instead of Sheriff’s Department logos on the doors, the vehicles are now sporting decals that read “City of Paramount.”

“It’s something we’ve always wanted to do, mainly for community identification,” said Linda Benedetti-Leal, assistant city manager. “When people would see ‘L.A. sheriff’s,’ there was no real community identification there. Every city wants its own police department, but that’s expensive, so if you’re contracting, the best thing you can do is customize the service to your own needs.”

County sheriff’s officials had been hesitant to go along with the city but agreed recently to the decal idea, which the City Council approved last month. Most of the 13 cars in the Paramount fleet have already been fitted with the city’s logo.

Four of those cars are used primarily as decoys in commercial and banking areas, Benedetti-Leal said, where the vacant vehicles are parked to scare off criminals. Ironically, one bank was recently robbed on the day that a decoy car, usually parked out front, was temporarily removed to be fitted with the decals.