Behind the Badge
He has a thing for cars.
She has degrees in interior and graphic design.
So the two employees of the Fullerton PD — Sgt. Tony Bogart and Aimee Cullen, a records specialist assigned to the Traffic Division — were a natural to turn to when top brass decided to update the agency’s logo.
In the process of replacing the FPD’s fleet of Crown Victoria sedan patrol cars with specially equipped Ford Police Interceptor Utility SUVs, Chief Dan Hughes and his command staff decided to modernize the police department’s logo, whose current design is a variation on one dating back to the late ’50s/early ’60s.
A 1960 Dodge Savoy used by FPD patrol officers. Photo courtesy of Bill Wallis
Bogart and Cullen led a committee that, beginning in May, started kicking around ideas for a new logo for the patrol cars. Also brainstorming for a fresh look were Corp. Steve Bailor and Officer Ricky Reynoso.
The old logo — still on the majority of FPD cars — features Fullerton’s circular city seal, with a tile mosaic of images representing agriculture, education and family, and the word POLICE underneath the seal.
The new logo does away with the city logo entirely and instead features a rectangular strip of gradient color, from black to light grey, and the word POLICE in grey with, above it in black and in smaller letters, FULLERTON.
A logo on a 1956 Ford. Photo courtesy of Bill Wallis
Also part of the logo is a thin blue line American U.S. flag, black and white except for the blue — a reference to fallen officers everywhere.
Having a flag incorporated in the new logo was critical, says Bogart, a U.S. Army veteran.
Bogart and Cullen say they aimed for a clean, modern logo. (Both declined to be photographed for this story; Bogart works undercover and Cullen said she preferred the focus of the story remain the new logo).
The two floated several concepts by FPD command staff until a winner was chosen. The new logo started appearing on the new SUVs in the summer; the complete fleet switchover will finish in summer 2017.
Patrol car used by Fullerton cops in 1960. Photo courtesy of Bill Wallis
About a decade ago, Bogart, who always has loved to work on and restore cars, came up with the exterior design of a PT Cruiser used by members of the FPD’s Community Service unit.
For the new logo, he and Cullen came up with about 50 designs.
Cullen used Adobe Illustrator to come up with concepts.
Her artistic skills were honed at L.A.’s Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, where Cullen earned two associates of arts degrees in interior design. She then transferred to Arizona State University, where she earned a bachelor’s of applied science in graphic design.
A 1967 Dodge Coronet T-2. Photo courtesy of Bill Wallis
Cullen worked for an architecture firm as an interior and graphic designer and project manager for eight years before she switched to a career in law enforcement as a member of the FPD’s professional (non-sworn) staff.
Her husband, Trevor, is an officer with the Orange PD and her father, Dick Jones, is a retired Santa Ana cop.
She and Bogart said they both were very honored to be chosen to come up with the new logo.
“When you’re talking about a logo that may be around another 50 years,” Cullen said, “it’s an honor to be part of something so significant.”
A motor officer poses beside a 1967 Dodge. Photo courtesy of Bill Wallis
One of the several proposed new logos that didn’t make the final cut. Photo courtesy of FPD
Another proposed new logo that wasn’t selected. Photo courtesy of FPD
Fullerton PD’s new Ford Police Interceptor Utility SUV includes a rear-view camera projected in the rear-view mirror that is activated whenever the car’s gear is put in reverse.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Fullerton Police Officer Marcus Saenz with the new Ford Police Interceptor Utility SUV that the department is phasing in.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
