Representing the thin blue line between civilized society and chaos, black bumper stickers with a thin blue line in the middle indicate an affiliation with or support of police officers. Officers and their families use this decal on their personal cars to indicate to other law enforcement officials that they share membership in this hallowed fraternity.
The "Thin Blue Line" decal, which has gained substantial popularity in recent years, is usually displayed as a window cling, bumper sticker or magnet on the rear of a vehicle. The decal displays a horizontal blue stripe bordered above and below by a black background.
Thin Blue Line decals use a black background to represent both fallen officers and the chaos that officers protect against. The blue stripe indicates both the color of the officer's uniform and the division between society and anarchy.
Some citizens have alleged that, by indicating a relationship to the police force, the "Thin Blue Line" stickers have become a de facto promoter of favoritism. These individuals claim that cars displaying the decals are permitted to violate traffic laws without fear of penalty. Although police officials deny these claims, many drivers unaffiliated with law enforcement have started to purchase replica decals in the hopes that this will protect them from citations.
Firefighters, paramedics and other emergency personnel often display the "Thin Red Line" decal on their vehicles. Similar to the "Thin Blue Line," the red stripe against a black background serves as a symbol between first responders that the person driving a vehicle also serves as a paramedic, ambulance driver or firefighter.
