I live in Richmond Heights,Mo.(near St. Louis). We will be 100 years old in 2013 and are looking for a "police car" from that era for our celebration in October 2013. Does anyone have or know someone that does have such a car here in the Midwest? My email address is nclvrs@swbell.net. Thanks, Neil Clavers
That brings up a couple of questions. When did police departments start using cars? When and where did the B & W color scheme originate?
Here is a Model T police car with a mobile phone installed (1921):
Jim
There was a '27 Tudor Police car on the Rutland tour last week, but I don't know whose it is or where they're from. They stayed in the Fairgrounds near us.
Maybe you could contact Kat or James to find out.
Keith
In 1913, if a police department owned one car or a fleet of cars, they were probably indistinguishable from any other car on the road - i.e. no special color scheme, no lettering or numbers and definitely no siren or lights.
I would research the history of your police department and see what actually occurred starting in 1913. The annual reports for your town would be a good starting point. They would indicate when the police department was established, and each year list the number of staff as well as major purchases such as wagons, horses, motorcycles, automobiles and trucks, etc.
In the interest of full disclosure, Neil e-mailed me a week or so ago with this quest. There are no police cars in our local St Louis club, so I recommended he post here. First, because there might be a Model T rigged out as a police car not that far from here and second, because this forum is a source of really inventive people with lots of good ideas.
The other thing is that the project intrigues me. I live in Kirkwood, and Richmond Heights is perhaps 5-6 miles away (don't get me started on the municipal nightmare that is St. Louis County - to get to Richmond Heights after I leave Kirkwood, I have to pass through Glendale, Warson Woods, Rock Hill, Brentwood and Clayton)). I do agree with Erik that some research into the RH history books could shed some light on the police department in its early years.
Please keep the ideas coming for Neil.
Philadelphia, PA apparently had Model T police department cars as early as 1924. An ad in "Model T in Speed and Sport" showed a letter from RAJO to a Mr. Earle Walker that stated, " Perhaps you will be interested to knowing that since January 1st the City of Philadelphia have installed this Model B head on Ford cars in service with the Philadelphia Police Department, for they felt that with the wide speed range of the Model B head, this equipment would be of material service to them in their police work. The fact that they were right is born out by a telegram from them, in which they advised us that they had been successful in capturing a Peerless touring car with four gunmen in it and that their Rajo equipped Ford has overhauled this big car with ease."
I know this doesn't answer the question the original poster asked.
Call Mayberry. I think they've got a cop car that's not going to be used again.
Maybe instead of a car, Richmond Heights could find a motorcycle cop! Most early cops were on cycles, cars for police came later...
Of course the chief got to have a Ford!
I can remember when I was very young my great grandfather used to say that back in the day those damm cars couldnt hold a candle to a good horse. A horse can run up a stoney hill,,, lets see that car chase him.
Neil the last picture Ed in California posted is either a 1913 or 1914 Ford.
Herb
If the movies are any indication, the only special markings were the words POLICE or POLICE PATROL painted on the car.
It would seem that you could find someone
(Dick Lodge) with a model T and convince them to allow you to use their car at the festivities. By putting a custom made magnetic sign on the door you could create a reasonable facsimile of a police car that way.
Herb
The main thing you need is the funky jacket with belt over top, a crazy hard hat, and a baton. A whistle would be a nice touch.
My Dad's 1912 T Paddy Wagon in 1962 (Black) and 1967 (Gray). We haven't seen the car since we sold it in 1967
These were taken on the 2007 Hillibilly tour.
Oakland California Police riot squad, their cars are unmarked.
The 27 Tudor in Rutland was actually supposed to have been a real police car.
The owner (I did not get his name) knew the history of the car from the original police and several owners before he purchased the car.
I was curious and asked him if the car had been a police car.
Indian motorcycles were popular among the police from the beginning until the end in 1953.
Here's a couple of the first motorcycle police in Grand rapids, Mich:
Looks like 1913-15 twins. One of the selling points for the Indian was the left hand operated throttle - the officer was able to use his right hand - for example to use a lasso to catch runaway horses and cattle. Gun use at speed while driving was likely rare, though. A sidecar with a deputy should give more effective fire power.