BAY MINETTE – If you see a black car with orange stripes and the city seal in Bay Minette, you can just about count on a police officer being behind the wheel.

Changes in designs and styles left the police department with at least three different paint/design schemes on its patrol fleet.

“We decided that the image of the police department would be enhanced if all patrol vehicles were uniform in appearance,” said Mayor Bob Wills. “Further, we are making a city-wide effort to reestablish the historic orange and black color scheme for city designations which, of course, corresponds with the colors of Baldwin County High School.

“They look very distinctive and should be a source of pride for the city.”

Police Captain Jim Eissler said more than 13 cars have already been updated and new cars added to fleet will follow that same design.

“We had many in our fleet that were of different colors and stripe schemes. The mayor and council requested that all of the police cars be of one color and stripe pattern,” Eissler said.

The Public Works department employees are sanding and repainting the cars, and the striping is being applied by Beach Bum Graphics in Robertsdale.

“This was an inexpensive way of revamping our fleet without having to purchase all new vehicles at one time. We are in the process of replacing some of the older cars with 2013 Chevy Chargers, which should arrive within a few weeks,” Eissler said. “Our hopes are to have a continuous rotation of new police vehicles each year, which will help with our maintenance costs as well as other costs associated with older police vehicles.”

The city has ordered six new Chargers, which are currently being fitted with radios, lights and other equipment. When the new cars are ready, Eissler will load up six officers in a police van and drive to Opelika to pick up the cars themselves to save the city even more money.

“In 2010, they charged us $2,000 to deliver six patrol cars,” said Eissler. “And we had to pay for the gas as well.”

Wills praised for the employees who have helped with the transition, particularly Lamar Hadley and his Public Works staff for their fine work in painting all of these vehicles.