New Jersey police patrol vehicle markings vary by department, but most departments follow recognizable patterns. There's no single statewide spec for marking design — each municipality, county sheriff's office, and state agency sets its own. But the conventions are recognizable enough that a vehicle from anywhere in NJ reads as a New Jersey police vehicle, even if the specific department isn't immediately identifiable.
Standard marking elements
Across most NJ departments, patrol vehicle markings include some version of these elements:
- Door shield — the department's emblem or shield, on both front doors
- Department identifier — "POLICE," "SHERIFF," or department name in large letters, typically on door panels and rear quarter
- Unit number — vehicle identifier number, typically on rear quarter panel and roof
- Dispatch markings — municipal name, sometimes county designation
- 911 emergency markings — common on rear and side panels
- Rear identifier — large agency identifier visible from following traffic
- Striping pattern — sides and sometimes rear, in agency colors
Color conventions
Most NJ departments use one of three primary color schemes:
- Black and white: Traditional, used by many municipal departments and the NJ State Police. Black vehicle base with white door panels and roof, or white vehicle base with black graphics.
- White with blue: Many smaller municipal departments. White vehicle with blue striping, blue lettering, blue door shields.
- Dark blue or black with reflective: Some departments use dark base colors with high-contrast reflective markings (white, gold, silver) for nighttime visibility.
Some departments use department-specific color combinations — gold for sheriff's departments in some counties, specific hues tied to municipal branding. The state of NJ doesn't impose color requirements at the state level for municipal police vehicles.
Door shield design
Door shields are the most visually distinctive department-specific element. Design considerations:
Common shield elements
- Department or municipal seal
- Star or shield outline (varies by agency tradition)
- Department name and "POLICE" or "SHERIFF" designation
- Sometimes founding year or motto
- Sometimes regional or state identification
Production approach
For most departments, door shields are produced as cut graphics from solid-color premium-grade marking film — often Type IV reflective for the major design elements and standard premium vinyl (3M Scotchcal 7125, Avery HP750) for fine detail and inner design elements. Multi-layer construction is common for shields with intricate designs.
Identifier lettering
"POLICE" or department-name lettering on door panels and body sides follows recognizable conventions:
- Letter height: Typically 4-8 inches tall on door panels, 8-12 inches on rear quarter panels and decklid
- Font: Sans-serif block letters — common choices include Bank Gothic, Compacta, custom department-specific fonts. Many departments use the same font across their fleet for visual consistency.
- Material: ASTM D4956-19 Type IV reflective sheeting in the contrasting color (white on dark, or dark on white)
- Outline: Some departments specify a contrasting outline (typically narrow black or dark blue around white letters) for daytime visibility
Unit number identification
Vehicle identifier numbers serve two operational purposes: dispatch identification and post-incident vehicle identification. Standard placement:
- Rear quarter panel: Large numerals (typically 8-12" tall) visible from behind. Most common placement.
- Roof: Large numerals (typically 18-24" tall) visible from helicopter or overhead camera. Common in larger departments.
- Front fender or hood: Smaller numerals for forward identification.
- Trunk lid: Sometimes included for additional rear visibility.
Number sequences vary — some departments use simple numeric (1, 2, 3...), some use department-coded prefixes (P-12 for patrol, K-9 for K9 unit, T-3 for traffic), some use car or unit assignment codes. Consistency across the fleet matters more than the specific scheme.
Striping patterns
Side-body striping varies most across departments:
- Single horizontal stripe: Continuous stripe across the side of the vehicle, typically 4-8 inches wide. Common in older NJ fleet specifications.
- Double horizontal stripe: Two parallel stripes, often with the agency identifier text between them.
- Wing or sweep pattern: Angled stripes that sweep up at the front fender. More design-driven; common in newer department specifications.
- Reflective panels at rear: Larger reflective areas at the rear quarter for following-traffic visibility.
- Custom department designs: Some departments commission custom marking designs that don't fit standard categories.
Unmarked vehicles and minimal marking
Some departments operate unmarked vehicles for tactical, investigative, or executive use. Federal regulations (49 CFR) require all federally-funded law enforcement vehicles to bear at least minimal identification visible to other law enforcement. Common minimum markings on otherwise-unmarked vehicles:
- Small department shield on door panel (visible at close range, not from distance)
- Federal "POLICE" identifier inside the windshield (visible from outside but unobtrusive)
- Rear license plate frame or surround with department identifier
For municipal-funded vehicles, marking requirements are department choice. Many departments minimize markings on tactical vehicles to support operational requirements.
How to specify patrol vehicle markings in an RFP
Useful specification approach for patrol vehicle marking RFPs:
- Provide existing fleet reference photos. The clearest spec is "match the design installed on Unit #1234 (photos attached)."
- Specify ASTM Type and warranty period for all marking materials.
- Specify door shield production approach — cut vinyl vs printed vs digital print depending on shield design complexity.
- Specify lettering font and dimensions for identifier text.
- Specify unit number placement and size standards.
- Specify install warranty period separately from material warranty.
For departments with established marking standards, this RFP language gets qualified responses. For departments rebranding or specifying first-time marking standards, a design phase before the marking-production RFP is appropriate — design the marking system first, then RFP the production.