Bath Township police changed the display on their police cruisers to say “popo” instead of “police,” the department announced on its [Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/BathTownshipPolice/).
“So as some of you may have noticed, our page has been pretty helpful in connecting us with our community,” the department posted.
“We’ve found though, that we are still struggling to really reach the younger folk out there.”
Some members of the public apparently think it’s a terrible idea.
” No Way!! Changing the name on the car lowers your intelligence. These people can’t speak proper English and instead of blaming parents and schools, you change the “police” graphic. Why don’t you just put it in Russian, “ПОЛИЦЯ”..than they still can’t read it…Sorry, try pulling me over with that…its not legal and you know it!” one Faceook user wrote.
Another Facebook user said he wouldn’t pull over for a police officer driving a police car that said “popo.”
“I wouldn’t pull over for a vehicle that say PO PO. I wonder if the BTPD are in violation of state statutes on marked police vehicles,” Kevin Lawlor posted.
Others thought department should paint “protect and serve” on the vehicles.
“How about painting your patrol vehicles white, like they should be. Also, you can put the phrase ” to protect and serve ” back on as well….ya know, since that’s your guys job,” Devin Wagner wrote.
Bath Township police posted about the new change on April 28.
The post now has over 4,500 shares.
**UPDATE**: It turns out, several news outlets got it wrong. The Bath Township Police Department never actually painted “popo” on their police cars, nor was there any decal.
The photo, which went viral on social and news media, was actually photoshopped, even though several news outlets including the [New York Post](https://nypost.com/2018/05/07/police-department-jokingly-labels-car-popo-to-connect-with-teens/) and [CBS](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/police-change-name-to-popo-in-controversial-prank/) reported the car was painted or that a decal was used.
Thanks to a heads up from PINAC reader Brandon Ermer, we were also corrected about the location of the correct Bath Township Police Department, in Michigan, rather than in Ohio.
Although, there is a Bath Township Police Department in Ohio.
