POST FALLS — People are the police, and the police are people.

For several years, that's been a motto of the Post Falls Police Department.

Now that message will be on the department's new vehicles as a wrap design was unveiled during Tuesday night's city council meeting.

The blue graphic includes "Post Falls Police: Partners with the Community" with reflective white lettering; the Post Falls Dam, the city's historical centerpiece; and at the bottom is a subtle American flag, a reminder of Constitutional policing, freedom and support for veterans.

"We thought that it is important to reflect the community and citizenship we work for," said Officer Brenda Knight, who was among those who worked on the new design.

She said the image the police department has with the community is important.

"That car truly represents us as officers and the department," she said. "When we turn the corner, that's the first thing people see."

The current vehicle graphic has been in use for 10 years and has drawn citizen comments about the need for a new look, Chief Scot Haug said. The present graphic will be replaced by the new design as new vehicles come into the fleet.

"It would be way too

expensive (about $70,000) to rebrand all of our existing vehicles at once, so we'll phase it in with our new vehicles going forward," Haug said. "Residents will see four new patrol cars by mid-August."

The first car will be in service by the end of this week, Haug said.

The cost of the wraps is $900 for the Chevy Impala patrol car and $1,200 for the SUVs. The cost to outfit the vehicles is part of the city's general fund. C.W. Wraps in Post Falls will apply the wraps to the vehicles.

The design drew rave reviews from city council members.

"It really represents our community in a very meaningful and thoughtful way," Lynn Borders said. "Beautiful work by everyone involved."

Included with the new wrap is the police accreditation symbol showing the department's commitment to excellence along with K27, the call number of former Coeur d'Alene police Sgt. Greg Moore, who was shot and killed in the line of duty last year.

Haug said there are pros and cons to the reflective lettering from a police perspective, so that will be monitored.

He said it will increase officer safety, especially when they have someone pulled over on the side of the road at night or while responding to DUI calls, and police generally like to be seen. However, there may be rare occasions such as active shooter cases where it's best for police to not be seen.

"The goal for patrol officers the majority of the time is to be seen," Haug said. "Just the very presence of an officer being around is a deterrent to people. We also hope that (the reflective letters) is a calming effect for people so that when they look out their window and see an officer drive by they're reminded we're keeping an eye on things."

Haug said while the department has emphasized the importance of partnering with the community to solve crime for years, the message on the vehicles ironically also comes during recent tumultuous times nationally between the police and the public.

"Law enforcement is more effective if it partners with the people," Haug said. "We want to make sure the public is reminded of that on a daily basis."