I just read this article and was kind of intrigued by it. I can see where it is a really good opportunity to get some extra money in these times, but I also don't know if we should be placing ads on patrol cars. What's your take?
Seeing that the city of Denver's budget crisis is so severe it may lead to police layoffs, a local lawyer is proposing selling ads on Denver police patrol cars as a way to shore up the budget. And he says he'll be the first to step up and pay for the privilege.
"I'd be willing to spend $3,000 to $5,000 a month to pay for ads on police cars." said Arvada lawyer Chris Cessna. "If the city came to me and said we'd be willing to discuss it, absolutely I would be serious about it."
Cessna, who specializes in DUI cases, sent a letter to Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper on Sept. 1 pitching his idea. He said he was prompted by the prospect of the city laying off 91 officers to help alleviate budget problems.
"If they are cutting such necessary services," said Cessna, "I would hope they would give it some thought."
He said the revenue from police car ads could be used to save officers' jobs.
In his letter Cessna wrote "I would like to take this opportunity to suggest allowing my law office the chance to advertise our Web site and services on your city's police cruisers. Of course I am open to whatever color schemes would be most aesthetic given the existing color and design of the city's cruisers."
For Cessna, it's a no-brainer.
"Talk about a point of sale, point of arrest that would be an effective way to advertise and an effective way for the city to make money."
Cessna said that last week a staff member at the mayor's office emailed him to say that his idea would be forwarded to Hickenlooper for consideration.
It's not the first time the concept has been raised. In 2002 and 2003, a North Carolina based company, Government Acquisitions, said it was acting as a middleman for cash-strapped police departments. The company planned to supply free police cruisers to police departments.
The only hitch was that the new cruisers would sport ads for everything from banks to radio stations.
It's unclear if any police departments actually received new police cruisers adorned with ads.
As for Chris Cessna, he suggests police patrol cars could just be the start. He says he and other defense attorneys would likely be willing to put ads on jail cell walls and intoxylizer machines which are used to determine a suspect's alcohol level.
"I'm just suggesting it might be an idea they might want to consider," said Cessna.
Additional Resources:
Denver Police Chief Gerry Whitman has written a lengthy letter to the Denver Police Protective Association, the union representing most Denver Officers. In it, Whitman warns of the consequences if officers don't agree to millions of dollars in concessions. CBS4 investigator Brian Maass obtained a copy of the letter, which was sent Tuesday to rank and file officers.
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"The key to freedom is to be able to have the ability to defend yourself & if you don't have the tools to do that, then you're going to be at the mercy of whomever wants to put you away."
“You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom... The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else... You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.”
What a way to endorse a lawyer! As you get put into the back seat, you see the number of a lawyer who specializes in cases like yours. Yeah, THAT won't cause problems!
I don't think that police cars are an appropriate vehicle for advertising, but certainly not for attorney advertising. Similarly, I don't think that ambulances should have ads, either.
City buses, school buses (heck yeah!), dump trucks... any other city vehicle is fine. Except fire trucks. I basically draw the line at emergency responders.
__________________ Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." [Gen. 4:6-7]
Yeah, that's kind of where I'm at too, but it could save some jobs.
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"The key to freedom is to be able to have the ability to defend yourself & if you don't have the tools to do that, then you're going to be at the mercy of whomever wants to put you away."
“You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom... The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else... You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.”
Ah slap em on, there is really little respect left for this profession anyway, why not save the public some money, or get you guys a little more equipment you need but can't afford currently.
I think it's case by case and it all depends on the LEO location. If it's funded by the residents (as most are) it should be something everyone votes on and it should be "how much funding can the police departments raise via advertising", if it's 50% of their funding the goal should be to find the person(s) willing to pay the most with the "least" advertising.
So... if the police department in my area needs $5,000,000 and we only want to pay $2,500,000 from our taxes then we must allow them to get the money somewhere else... if it requires a hood advertisement like in Nascar to get that much money so be it.
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Likwid
XD 9mm SC
Born February 2005
I think it's case by case and it all depends on the LEO location. If it's funded by the residents (as most are) it should be something everyone votes on and it should be "how much funding can the police departments raise via advertising", if it's 50% of their funding the goal should be to find the person(s) willing to pay the most with the "least" advertising.
So... if the police department in my area needs $5,000,000 and we only want to pay $2,500,000 from our taxes then we must allow them to get the money somewhere else... if it requires a hood advertisement like in Nascar to get that much money so be it.
Gotta say, it WOULD be pretty interesting if police uniforms were all decked out in sponsor logos...
"This tasering brought to you by Honey Nut Cheerios... "
__________________ Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." [Gen. 4:6-7]
Gotta say, it WOULD be pretty interesting if police uniforms were all decked out in sponsor logos...
"This tasering brought to you by Honey Nut Cheerios... "
"The suspect was shot with six Coors Silver Bullet rounds by officers from the Texaco-Valvoline Third Precinct. Johnson & Johnson paramedics were able to perform a No Tears resuscitation at the scene, and he is in critical care at Mercy West's Reliant Energy ICU."
__________________ Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." [Gen. 4:6-7]
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