METHUEN — When defense attorney Mark Stevens found out members of the Methuen patrolmen's union were suggesting selling advertising space on police cruisers, he realized he had a golden opportunity to appeal to future clients.

Stevens wrote a letter to Mayor William Manzi informing him of his desire to advertise his Web site, byebyedwi.com, on the right rear side of cruisers. His hope was to market to drunken-driving suspects as they're hauled away by police.

"What better spot to advertise than right there?" Stevens said during an interview.

City unions are negotiating new contracts with Manzi, and everyone is looking to save money or raise new cash in light of the economic crisis. The patrolmen's union recently gave Manzi a list of 48 ways police and the city could save money. Suggestions included allowing advertising on cruisers, layoffs for several unions (but not for their own), charging people $50 for being arrested, cutting the police chief's pay and demoting four to five superior officers.

Stevens' thinking is that drunks would see, and hopefully remember, his advertisement when they're arrested and escorted to the cruiser — officers usually place suspects in the right side of the back seat so they can see them while driving.

"I've never heard of anyone allowing anyone to advertise on police cruisers before, so when I saw it (an Eagle-Tribune article mentioning the union's idea), I was quite excited," Stevens said.

Stevens is based in Salem, N.H., and he practices in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts. His Web site includes, among other things, a link to an audio interview he did with "Ridin Dirty Radio" and a photograph of a man being lifted off the ground by two police officers.

He posted a blog titled "Trying to Avoid Unwanted Contact with Police this Weekend," the Friday before Memorial Day.

Stevens proposed that his Web site be advertised in large-font text on the police cars.

"I am open to whatever color scheme would fit in most aesthetically with the paint color schemes already on the cruisers," he wrote to Manzi.

"I think that my ad could easily be shrink-wrapped onto the cruisers very quickly."

Manzi responded, declining the offer and saying the city won't allow any advertising on cruisers. If they did allow advertising, "byebyedwi" wouldn't be an appropriate slogan, the mayor said during an interview.

"No disrespect to the attorney," Manzi said. "We appreciate the interest."

Manzi said Stevens is the only person to offer to advertise on cruisers, so far.

Stevens said he hoped to talk to Methuen officials to work out the pricing for advertising.

Patrolmen's union President Larry May did not respond to requests for comment.

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