Taxi or patrol unit, Las Cruces Police wants you to ‘Choose Your Ride’

The Las Cruces Police Department unveiled its newest tool to prevent DWI: a blue and yellow unit that’s painted to resemble a police car and a taxicab.

LCPD unveiled the new ‘Choose Your Ride’ vehicle at Tuesday evening’s National Night Out event in Downtown Las Cruces.

Police officials said the concept is meant to represent the choices people have when considering wether to drink and drive. The front of the car is painted in the colors of an LCPD police unit and displays the average cost of a DWI charge and arrest, which is estimated at $7,000. The back of the vehicle is painted to resemble a yellow taxicab with wording that represents an average price for taxi fare of $20.

“It is the hope that this Choose Your Ride educational tool will make people think about their choices, and when impaired by alcohol, consider calling a friend or taxicab instead of driving,” said Las Cruces Police Chief Jaime Montoya.

LCPD hopes to use the vehicle during ceremonial community events, school functions and during DWI grant projects that occur on a monthly basis.

The city’s Fleet Department helped the police department convert an old natural gas vehicle that was already in the city’s fleet into the “half police, half taxicab.”

DWI seizure funds were used to pay for the project.