There's a photo that continues to circulate on social media showing what appears to be a Houston Police SUV with a Yellow Cab back end.
The photo and police vehicle are real, according to Ray Hunt at the Houston Police Officers' Union who says the half-HPD, half-Yellow Cab SUV has been on the streets for months and is part of the department's “Choose Your Ride” campaign to discourage drunk driving.
“Yellow Cab paid for the wrapping on that, we thought it was a great public relations tool to encourage people to not drink and drive, and that's what it is,” he says. “It's not used to stop cars. It's not used to transport prisoners. It's used for public events.”
But Hunt says it is still a bonafide police vehicle.
“Obviously if he sees something that is occurring in his or her presence and believes he should take action, absolutely he'd be taking action,” he says. “But as far as being dispatched to a call to transport someone, it's not in the 'call for service' loop.”
Hunt says HPD also has partnered with AT&T for another vehicle discouraging texting while driving.