Major Makeover: New NY State Police Patrol Cars Won’t Be Blue

For the first time in more than a half-century, New York State Police patrol vehicles will not feature the color blue.

The agency has announced that it is phasing in a new design for troop cars. Although the state police logo and lettering will continue to be gold, the main body of the vehicles will be gray.

The state police went public with the new look in a social media post, although there was no explanation for the change.

Since 1974, New York State Police vehicles have employed various styles of a blue and gold color scheme. Prior to that, troop cars used a basic black and white format.

In the brief online message, the agency said the gray body with gold striping is "a look that pays tribute to our historic roots while reinforcing our strong, professional presence across New York."

According to the statement, the design ensures that state police vehicles "remain highly visible and instantly recognizable to the public."

The change will occur gradually as older troop cars are replaced. It's not known how soon the first of the new-design vehicles will be added to the fleet in Sidney-based Troop C.

WNBF NEWS VIDEO: It can be challenging to keep heavily-used police cars looking good in the winter but the state police try...

Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: Email bob@wnbf.com or call (607) 545-2250. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.