When George Ressler decided to come up with a new look for the new Dodge Chargers at the Kansas University Office of Public Safety, he went for something serious and a little intimidating, but friendly and approachable, too.
“Kind of like the Jayhawk,” said Ressler, a 2011 KU design graduate who is now working for a design research firm in Columbus, Ohio.
The design, which used elements from Ressler and his fellow student Andrew Meier, of Olathe, won the colleges and universities category in Law and Order Magazine’s 2012 International Police Vehicle Design Contest.
KU Public Safety has used the design for its fleet since August 2011. Ralph Oliver, chief of KU Public Safety, said the department approached Jeremy Shellhorn, associate professor of design, in 2011 and asked if his students would be interested in submitting some design proposals.
“The designs we saw kind of were a cross between traditional black and white and NASCAR,” said Oliver.
The eventual design features the official KU crimson and blue colors and a Jayhawk on each side.
The contest’s judges apparently liked the effect. “The blue swatch highlights the car nicely,” read a comment from the judges in the magazine. “It is different than the traditional black-and-white, adding the blue and red outline.”
The contest featured 17 other entries in the colleges and universities category.
Ressler said that he appreciated the recognition.
“I really just wanted it to look fresh and represent the brand, which is KU,” he said.
“It’s way overdone just to be black and white and boring.”
Comments
audvisartist 8 months, 4 weeks ago
I love the KU cop cars! Add a spoiler and they'd be perfect.
Hooligan_016 8 months, 4 weeks ago
Did they include the mandatory Trajan(TM) shoutout somewhere on the vehicle?
Fatty_McButterpants 8 months, 4 weeks ago
Those look like clown cars.
Anyone else notice that "Kansas University Office of Public Safety" makes the acronym KU OOPS?
NotRelated 8 months, 4 weeks ago
http://static.fjcdn.com/comments/Big%2Bcar%2BSmall%2Bdick%2B_8913639dfac473ff5bdab43dc6ec6707.jpg
Gosh exact match Thanks Fatty McButterpants!
Liberty275 8 months, 4 weeks ago
I think they should use TransAms with Jayhawks painted on the hood.
Jonathan Kealing 8 months, 4 weeks ago
Way to go George. Love the cop car design. Glad to see the design get some more notice.
classclown 8 months, 4 weeks ago
I think it would be a cool design on a real police car. The jayhawk on the sides takes away from it however. Makes it look comical rather than official which may be why Fatty sees them as clown cars.
Lynn731 8 months, 4 weeks ago
They need LED light bars, instead of the antiquated one they have. The design is nice, however.
Hooligan_016 8 months, 4 weeks ago
Ehh .. I think they have the "old" style lights so they are more easily recognizable by students on campus who may need assistance.
jaywalker 8 months, 4 weeks ago
just checking
oldbaldguy 8 months, 3 weeks ago
they look great
irtnog2001 8 months, 3 weeks ago
The design is good but somehow solid blue just does't belong on a cop car. Would prefer black & white with blue or red accent
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