To Serve, Protect & Sell Out

November 22, 2002 8:18 AM

To Serve, Protect & Sell Out Police departments strapped for cash consider selling ad space on their cars. This is just too sad to believe.
posted by adamms222 (9 comments total)

Great, so we won't know whether we're being pulled over by a police officer or Dale Earnhardt Jr.

I'm not sure which is more frightening.
posted by xmutex at 8:23 AM on November 22, 2002

I agree, Adamms222, it's too sad to believe.

So I'm running for Congress.

"Prevent cops from putting ads on their cruisers in order to make up for budget shortfalls and to inflate their pitifully low wages by RAISING TAXES!!" Read my lips: we need more taxes!

After all, it's just so sad when poor underpaid cops do something to help bootstrap themselves up, rather than striking.

</sarcasm>
posted by swerdloff at 8:26 AM on November 22, 2002

Fuckin' funny xmutex!
posted by password at 8:27 AM on November 22, 2002

Whatever, it's better than selling all the drugs in storage for evidence.
posted by zekinskia at 8:31 AM on November 22, 2002

This is like that "Airforce needing to hold a bakesale" bumper sticker coming to life! I approve.
posted by thirteen at 8:32 AM on November 22, 2002

adamms222

"-- calling Adam12 -- do you copy ?-- Adam12 -- enjoy a nice flame-broiled Whopper(tm) -- Please respond Adam12 -- "
posted by Shane at 8:37 AM on November 22, 2002

What's the problem? So long as the cops are sure to not give advertisers special treatment, I think this is a perfectly fine way for the cops to raise a few much-needed bucks, especially when property tax initiatives (the ones that traditionally fund schools and cops) routinely get voted down by a weaselly coalition of cop-hating young people and child-hating old people. AND it'd be a nice easy sell to the locals - what local business *wouldn't* want to sponsor a squad car ad, especially if they're competitors were? Slam dunk.

Lighten, people. Advertising is not inherently Evil. It's just selling. Selling is good.
posted by UncleFes at 9:23 AM on November 22, 2002

I'm one of those people that likes advertising. But this seems to cross the line into bad territory. The police department is one of those things that is supposed to serve as a "pure" form of government. I would much prefer that we pay these guys their due rather than whore them out.
posted by owillis at 9:52 AM on November 22, 2002

You have the right to remain McSilent...
posted by Ufez Jones at 9:58 AM on November 22, 2002