Crans-Montana Police Embrace “Baba-Cool”โฃ Vibe with Flower-Power Van
Crans-Montana’s inter-municipal police force โhas adopted a unique approach to community policing this spring: patrollingโ in a brightly decorated, electric van reminiscent โof the hippie era. The vehicle, aโ Volkswagen Combi adorned with flowers, โขisn’t intended for emergency response, but rather toโค foster dialog and build trust โwith residents.
The van’s distinctive appearance has already garnered attention. “He โฃis very recognizable! And it is trueโ that he always โฃlendsโ to smile when we seeโค him,” a local resident commented during a recent appearance on the program Colors Locales. Another passerby playfully asked,”When โis the long hair and the โคrest?”
Chief Sergeant Grรฉgory โคPraplan admits the officers initially needed time to adjust to the van’s unconventional aesthetic. “At the beginning, frankly, we โขhad to adapt a little. And it was โby starting to patrol, seeing the return of people, that โwe said to ourselves that โฃwe were in the real one,” he explained. He โฃacknowledged that โฃthe van’s imagery – aโข symbol โฃof a counter-cultureโ movementโข – contrasts sharply with customary perceptions of law enforcement, noting that some within theโ police force were โคinitially “shaken up” by theโ concept.”There is a โฃpolice environment that โremains opaque โandโ who does โคnot likeโ or doesโ not understand – it is the choice of each,” โฃPraplan stated.
Though, the police believe the van’s eye-catching design is proving effective in breaking down barriers.โฃ Commander Yvesโค Sauvain emphasized the goal is to create a more approachable โขimage. “This breaks this image of the severe police officer that we dare not approach.โค Evenโค childrenโ come and โdiscuss the bus, so it’s extremely enriching,” he said.
The initiative representsโ a deliberate effort โto cultivateโ a more relaxed and trusting relationship between โthe police and the โคcommunity, โblending a “hippie spirit” with the responsibilities of maintaining public safety.
(Source: Romain Boisset/miro)
