A prison inmate who makes car stickers and license plates decided to have the last laugh by adding the image of a pig to the official crest on state cruisers.
On the 16-inch car door stickers, made by prisoners in Windsor, Vermont, a patch on a cow in a scene with mountains has been changed to the shape of a pig, a derogatory term for police.
A Vermont state trooper discovered the pig while inspecting his vehicle on Wednesday and state police have said they believe the image has been added to about 30 cars.
Vermont Public Safety Commissioner Keith Flynn says he learned of the altered car stickers yesterday and Corrections Commissioner Andrew Pallito is looking into who made the modification and when.
Mr Pallito said about 60 altered crests were made over the last couple of years.
The disclosure was amusing to both Mr Flynn and Senate President Pro Tempore John Campbell, D-Windsor, who are both former police officers.
‘This is not as offensive as it would have been years ago. We can see the humor,’ Mr Flynn said.
‘If that person had used some of that creativeness,’ mR Flynn added, ‘he or she would not have ended up inside.’
State police Maj. Bill Sheets wasn’t amused by the prank.
‘While some may find humor in the decal modifications, the joke unfortunately comes at the expense of the taxpayers,’ he said.
New stickers will be made by Monday at a cost of $780 (£493.)
The expense will be covered by a surplus in the revolving fund that supports the offender work program, Mr Pallito said.