FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. — In an effort to keep the community safe during the holiday season, the Fuquay-Varina Police Department launched a holiday action plan. 

What You Need To Know 

  • Fuquay-Varina Police Department is implementing a holiday action plan 
  • All police cruisers will be illuminating two steady blue cruise lights from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. 
  • The goal is to increase police presence, visibility and deter crime 
  • At least three other police departments in N.C. are also using blue cruise lights 

The plan includes steady blue cruise lights that will be activated on all patrol cruisers between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. 

The department says this a proactive measure to stop crime during the holiday shopping season. 

“As a law enforcement agency, it is our duty to do everything we can to deter crime and if this proactive measure mitigates one incident, then we will call this measure a success,” said Police Chief Brandon Medina.

The blue lights that will illuminate on the cruisers will not flash, blink or move.

“It just stays on a steady blue so people don’t get confused thinking that you’re trying to stop them for a traffic stop," said Patrick Dercola, a patrol officer. 

Officers who are conducting a traffic stop or responding to an emergency will still use the standard flashing lights and sirens. 

The steady blue lights are a way to make police presence more visible at night. 

“When people are out and about for example here in our downtown area they see a police car go by and it immediately catches their attention and they feel safe and that they’re being looked after," said Dercola. 

Dercola says the town has not necessarily seen an uptick in crime, but the recent shootings in shopping centers across North Carolina have been a concern for people who are out holiday shopping.

“I don’t want to say people get more on edge but with the holidays brings along a lot of stress, we try our best to stay constantly proactive and constantly be on the look out and try to deter crime as much as possible," said Dercola. 

Other departments nationwide and in North Carolina have also used the steady blue cruise lights as a safety measure, including the Wilmington Police Department, Landis Police Department and Lincolnton Police Department.