New York’s Finest no longer will avow “Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect” — or at least their new patrol cars won’t.
A new slogan — “Fighting Crime, Protecting The Public” — is emblazoned on the NYPD’s revamped patrol cars, replacing the iconic three-word motto that graced cruisers for nearly three decades.
So far, decals featuring the new slogan have been slapped on 125 new patrol cars at a cost that’s $1,390 per vehicle more than the old adhesives that promised cops will act courteously, professionally and respectfully toward the public — or nearly $174,000 total, police said.
“As new vehicles are purchased by the NYPD they will be outfitted with the new decals before they are delivered to the NYPD,” a Police Department spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday.
The NYPD started emblazoning patrol cars with “Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect” in 1997 as part of a push to repair relations between cops and communities.
Police didn’t answer The Post’s questions as to who made the decision to drop the “Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect” slogan and why.
But the decal change already had critics snarking on the symbolism of shedding a slogan preaching respect toward New Yorkers.
“It will never not be funny that the NYPD found courtesy, professionalism, and respect such a pain in the ass to pretend to do that they just decided not to bother anymore,” tweeted Rich Mintz, a member of Manhattan Community Board 6.
“At least they’re not pretending to be kind anymore,” quipped Sal Risi, 38, near Bryant Park.
“That’s what’s really important sure, using our taxpayer dollars for that,” he said. “Will that actually protect the public?”
Another passerby, David C., 29, said he found the new slogan “corny and unrealistic,” while some didn’t even know about the original motto.
“I had no idea they had a slogan. What a waste of money,” Lisa Contreras, 45, said.
The slogan swap, first reported by Gothamist, follows former NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell’s police cruiser revamp unveiled in 2023 that controversially ditched the vehicles’ longstanding white-and-blue design in favor of a green racing-style stripe meant to evoke the department’s flag.
The decision to affix the “Fighting Crime” slogan on the vehicles was made after Sewell announced the redesign, the NYPD told The Post, without specifying when.
Sewell abruptly resigned just months after unveiling the green color scheme amid tensions with City Hall and micromanaging by Mayor Eric Adams.
City Hall officials referred The Post’s questions about the slogan change to the NYPD.
NYPD cruisers that already have the “Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect” slogan will keep the motto, police said.
The cost of putting the old decals on cruisers — which are delivered as plain white vehicles — was roughly $700, police said.
But the new decal design, including the updated “Fighting Crime” slogan and green theme, costs $2,091, police said.
“This increase in cost is due to changes made mid contract and other factors including the use of reflective material (which were included in the design to increase safety and visibility), the printing of color onto the decal, the lamination of the decal, an increase of the amount of material used, and the additional time and labor to install it,” an NYPD statement reads.
Additional reporting by Valentina Jaramillo and Craig McCarthy