Salisbury Police Department

SALISBURY — You’ll see more blue lights on the streets of Salisbury, but the Police Department says that’s a good thing.

Some police vehicles will now have blue bar lights on at all times while on patrol in an effort to deter would-be criminals, the department said Tuesday.

Most of the vehicles will be those that patrol local neighborhoods. Police officials hope the visible lights will deter car break-ins and rifling through unlocked vehicles, crimes that have been on the rise over the past year.

Capt. Melonie Thompson suggested the strategy last year, and the idea was revisited after a random control trial in Connecticut found it to be effective in reducing car break-ins.

“The steady blue lights are a great way to signal to our community that we are patrolling and all is safe,” Thompson said. “It also signals to would-be criminals that the Salisbury community stands together against crime and social disorder.

“Steady blue lights are not the same as flashing blue lights, which are a universal signal for police interactions such as a traffic stop,” Thompson said.

For more information about efforts to reduce crime, contact Maj. Shon F. Barnes at 704-216-7546 or shon.barnes@salisburync.gov