'More Than Symbolic': Wrapped APD Squad Car Unveiled For Juneteenth

AURORA, IL — A custom-wrapped Aurora Police Department squad car was unveiled Wednesday to celebrate Juneteenth.

It's the first Juneteenth squad car in the region, according to Chief Communications Officer Clayton Muhammad.

The project is a collaboration between the Aurora African American Heritage Advisory Board, the Aurora Police Department and the City of Aurora.

Among officials attending the unveiling Wednesday morning were Mayor Richard Irvin and Officer William Whitfield, who also serves as the chairman of the AAHAB.

"This is more than symbolic," Mayor Richard Irvin said in a statement. "It is a statement of fact and acknowledgment of history. Juneteenth is not just Black history. It is American history."

The squad car's design features a kente cloth backdrop with an overlay of the Juneteenth flag and the date June 19, 1865, displayed on both sides. The rear bumper features the red, black and green Pan-African flag.

Officers will be assigned to the squad car during regular duties over the next two weeks while educating and conversing with the community about Juneteenth and Black history, officials said.

The car will also be prominently featured at upcoming Juneteenth events, including the annual citywide celebration on Saturday and Monday's Juneteenth Youth Summit and flag-raising ceremony.

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