BOISE -- Boise Police say they hope a patrol car's new look will act as a beacon of hope to people who are trapped in violent relationships, and unsure where to turn.
The cruiser's purple-themed Domestic Violence Awareness design was unveiled Thursday, as part of a partnership between Boise Police and the Women's and Children's Alliance.
Chief Bill Bones said the design is aimed at helping bring domestic violence out of the shadows.
"By driving these on the streets of Boise, seeing it tied to a police car, it brings attention to the issues in our community, and domestic violence is an issue that needs attention," he said. "It needs to end."
The patrol car is now the third vehicle in BPD's fleet to get a specialty wrap: The department rolled out a pink-ribboned Breast Cancer Awareness car in 2013 and a Cycling Safety Awareness car in 2014.
The money for the custom domestic violence awareness wrap came from WCA donors, police say.
Bones said he was proud Boise Police has a new way to reach those in need.
"Our officers are on the front lines of seeing the tragedy that domestic violence does to a family and to an individual," he said. "It's something that we want to end in our community and having a car like this to send a signal - a visible presence of how committed we are to that - that's something that, as a chief, I've got to enjoy."
Women's and Children's Alliance Executive Director Bea Black agreed.
"Individuals seeing this vehicle will know they can reach out for help to Boise Police and to the Women's and Children's Alliance," she said. "That's huge."
Ada County received 5,242 calls for service related to domestic abuse or sexual assault in 2017, according to Boise Police - an average of more than 14 calls a day.
Black said everyone in Boise will have to work together to curb the problem.
"It is going to take all of in the community to change the statistics that we deal with everyday, and that our police department and first responders deal with everyday," she said.
TO REPORT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Boise area residents can contact the Boise Police Special Victims Unit through police dispatch by calling 911 or 208-377-6790. If you or someone you know needs help, you can also call the WCA 24-hour domestic violence hotline at (208) 343-7025.