A new symbol of authority will track law violators on campus starting this fall.

During the early part of summer, the ISU Police Department acquired police cruisers and uniforms with a new look. The new vehicles will help reduce repair costs, said ISU Police Capt. Gene Deisinger.

In January 2002, the Board of Regents authorized the implementation of new units to replace the older cars and uniforms. The older units were in need of repair that would have resulted in a more expensive bill, Deisinger said.

“It really wasn’t any more costly [to get new cars],” he said. “We try to be fiscally responsible in these tough times.”

The number of uniforms ordered were decreased from original proposals, Deisinger said. More will be ordered during the winter season, but student security officers will recycle last year’s uniforms, he said.

The side patch logo on the uniforms has changed, and the design of the squad cars will help better identify the police department, Deisinger said.

Officers on the street agree with having “police” painted on the side of their vehicles, rather than “DPS.”

“The last thing you need is someone questioning authority,” Officer Nick Grossman said.

Grossman, who graduated from Iowa State with a degree in design, created the new logo for the uniforms and vehicles. Several officers were involved in the design process, reducing the cost of hiring an outside resource.

“We wanted to make it a little more descriptive and explain that we are police officers,” Grossman said.

Grossman designed a few examples for the logo and selected a committee to offer feedback.

“[With the new design] I’ve heard people say ‘When did Iowa State get a police force?'” Grossman said.

The model design of the new cars is also slightly modified from past squad cars.

The new LED light bar, known to most as “flashing lights,” across the top of the car, has a much lower profile and has significantly brighter lights, Deisinger said. The light bars also reduce the noise inside the vehicle.