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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Central Point police seek attempted murder suspect ... UPDATED: Standoff ends with two arrests in Wilson Elementary neighborhood ... Hermiston homeless face winter with fewer sleeping options ... Central Point police seek attempted murder suspect ... UPDATED: Standoff ends with two arrests in Wilson Elementary neighborhood ... Hermiston homeless face winter with fewer sleeping options ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Medford police cruisers have been 'Pacer Blue' since 1975 MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jan. 13, 2016 @ 12:01 am Posted Jan. 13, 2016 @ 12:01 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> I've often wondered why Medford has blue police cars instead of the usual black-and-whites? They would seem to be less threatening and maybe more visible, but how long has Medford used that color? I seem to recall that a police chief quite a few years ago talked about changing to black and white, but that idea apparently went nowhere. Not complaining, but always wondered about the history of the blue patrol cars. — Mike, Medford Some may consider the bright blue cornflower blue that Medford police cruisers sport to be fitting with the muscle car lines of MPD's current fleet of Dodge Chargers, but thanks to Lt. Mike Budreau, we now know that the distinctive color has its roots in a very different piece of American automotive history. "The color of blue is called 'AMC Pacer blue,' from the sporty Pacers back in the '70s," Budreau said in an email. That's right, the color is named after the compact car advertised as "The First Wide Small Car," introduced by the American Motors Corporation for the 1975 model year. That's the official name of the color that the city of Medford gives the paint shop, according to Budreau. About the time Pacers were considered stylish and sensible transportation was when the color became a mainstay on the police cars in our fair city. Lt. Budreau reached out to Talent police chief Mike Moran, who began his law enforcement career as a reserve officer in Talent in 1975, then spent 29 years on the Medford force from 1976 to 2005. Moran recalls that Medford first painted its police cruisers blue and white starting in 1975. Moran said Medford police vehicles had been black and white in the 1950s, then switched to all white in the early 1960s up until 1975. Both Moran and our editor recalled talk of switching the cars to a more stark and traditional black and white, but searches in our digital database and clipping archive turned up empty. We did, however, track down when Jackson County Sheriff's deputies first switched to the forest green and white top paint design — that was January 2003, and started with then-Sheriff-elect Mike Winters' patrol car. —Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. To see a collection of columns, go to mailtribune.com/youasked . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jan. 13, 2016 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501