Custom Vehicle Graphics for Law Enforcement: 2021 Guide

Law enforcement vehicle graphics are somewhat unique in the world of vinyl wraps. The processes used are basically the same as those used to make commercial wraps, but the precise materials and the specific applications of those materials, are more specialized—and more regulated. If you’re just exploring custom vehicle graphics for law enforcement for the first time, you’ve come to the right place.

We’ll break down the types of graphics used in law enforcement, discuss their applications, and provide you with enough information to start exploring options for your organization.

Custom Vinyl Wraps for Law Enforcement Vehicles

While vinyl graphics can be applied in any size, some law enforcement organizations opt for wraps that cover large sections or all of each vehicle. This can help to standardize the look of a fleet, even with different models in service.

Full Law Enforcement Vehicle Wraps

As the name indicates, a full vinyl wrap covers every inch of a vehicle’s surface, like a paint job. All wraps can be removed and replaced, if needed, and full wraps actually protect the underlying paint from weather, debris, and UV radiation. At the fleet level, this preservation of paint can save significant amounts of money by improving resale values when it’s time take vehicles out of service.

If you plan to update the look of your organization’s “brand,” wraps will cost less than paint, and you’ll only have to take each vehicle off the street for a fraction of the time required to prep and apply paint.

Partial Vehicle Wraps for Law Enforcement

Partial wraps are a great option for many organizations because they provide a shortcut to the “old black and white” look—or any set of contrasting colors. The most common approach is to start with a white vehicle, then strategically add wrap components in a way that provides the right, official look. Hood and door panels can be wrapped, and roofs can be left white, with decals added for unit numbers. This is a popular approach because a white roof also reduces interior temperature. Like full wraps, partial wraps can be removed when it’s time to replace vehicles.

Police Chevrons and Chevron Stripes

The chevron pattern is an important component of police car graphics because it directs traffic away from officers, keeping everyone safer. A lot of science and engineering goes into the creation of these simple graphics because they have to gleam with a consistent luminescence under virtually all lighting conditions.

From an application standpoint, they can also cover seams and edges in underlying vinyl, adding an extra layer of paint and body protection in these vulnerable areas.

Our designers can modify any chevron design to fit the contours of any vehicle including specialized equipment like bomb squad vehicles and robots. Our technicians can do the installation at our facility in Wichita, Kansas, or we can ship graphics to you for local installation.

Stealth Graphics

Enter Batman, screen right. He slips through a band of shadow between street lights, unheard, barely seen. He pivots smoothly, swinging his legs into a portal of darkness, then he seems to vanish altogether. That’s when you hear the soft purr of the Batmobile. Its sleek form emerges as it accelerates through a pool of yellow light at the end of the block, then fades into darkness. Yes, stealth graphics are Batman-cool.

Short of a cloaking device, stealth graphics (or ghost graphics) are about as invisible as you can get. Like the vinyl used in chevrons, it took some pretty amazing chemistry and physics to make a surface behave in such a specific way under specific types of light. Stealth graphics are virtually invisible when no light is directed at them, but they’re highly reflective when it is. The idea is that, while it’s good to be inconspicuous in certain situations, it would be dangerous to remain invisible when another vehicle’s headlights are bearing down on you.

Door Decals for Police and Sheriff Vehicles

It’s common to put a badge or logo on law enforcement vehicle doors. This can done over a vinyl wrap or directly onto the vehicle paint. Metallic inks are very popular for these graphics, and they’re available in a variety of colors and finishes. US Logo has years of experience with law enforcement graphics. We know how to render this important emblem in a way that inspires pride and commands respect.

Can Specialty Police Equipment Be Wrapped with Vinyl?

Wraps can be installed on motorcycles, cars, trucks, vans, semi tractors and trailers, airplanes, helicopters, ATVs, bicycles, shields, battering rams, helmets … name the equipment; we can wrap it. Want your baton wrapped? No, probably not, but we could do it. Vinyl film, combined with 3D design software, is extremely versatile.

How to Get Started with Law Enforcement Vehicle Graphics

One phone conversation will fill in a lot of blanks in a short amount of time, and our customer service reps will probably bring a few ideas to the table, if you want to hear them. Our experience with law enforcement graphics will make it easy to navigate any regulatory requirements your jurisdiction may have, and then arrive at a design that’s functional and appropriate for the look of your organization.

We can install them, or we’re happy to ship them to you for local installation. Give us a call at (316) 264-1321 to learn more.