HARRINGTON — The Delaware State Police is requesting help from the community to name its new recruit, the third in a proud lineage of Volkswagen Beetles.

Officers, along with the nameless Beetle, will attend the Delaware State Fair from 5 to 9 p.m. every night of the fair with ballots for Delawareans to cast their vote for the Beetles’ name.

The Beetle, along with a modern day Chevrolet Tahoe, will be located between the Delaware and Dover buildings.

Following the service of Beetle “Trooper Dan” in the 1970s and “Sergeant Dan” in the late 1990s and early 2000s, a brand new, sleeker than ever, turbo-charged 2019 Beetle has joined DSP’s ranks.

The Beetle is a member of the 96th Delaware State Police Recruit Class, which is slated to graduate from the Police Academy in September.

In 1974, the DSP converted a 1971 Volkswagen Beetle into a safety education vehicle. Trooper Dan was equipped with its own campaign hat, a red light for a nose and eyeballs on the windshield wipers.

The vehicle would be used in conjunction with school programs, as well as highway and bicycle safety programs. A trooper would converse with students through a hidden speaker in the front of the vehicle. Trooper Dan would acknowledge students by shifting his eyes or flashing his nose.

After Trooper Dan retired, a 1999 VW Beetle was promoted and named Sergeant Dan, which was recently retired.