In February 1925 Police Commissioner William Ryan purchased the first police motorcycles – three Harley Davidson motorcycles with attached sidecars. By late 1925 police motorcycles were being used to advantage by Detectives and Finger-Print Experts to get to places not served by public transport.
1927 Harley Davidson motorcycle and side car, photograph taken in the grounds of the Petrie Terrace Depot, Brisbane.
Image No. PM0013 Courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum
In 1936, as the number of cars and motorcycles increased, the old stables at the Petrie Terrace Depot were converted into the police garage. This building still exists and is located in The Barracks development, at 61 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane.
The opening of the first Police Garage, converted from the old stables at the Petrie Terrace Depot, 1936.
Image No. PM0123 Courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum
By 1938 there were 38 motorcycles in the police fleet, made up of Royal Enfield motorcycles with side cars; English AJS 1000cc and BSA 1000cc V twin bikes. By the 1960s Nortons, Triumphs and a few BSA Lightening bikes were in use.
Constable Imeson works on his Norton motorcycle at Petrie Terrace Depot garage, c1960.
Image No. PM0436 Courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum
Safety helmets for police motorcyclists were introduced in 1957.
Constable Bill Purcell on his 1965 BSA (Lightning) motorcycle at Coronation Drive, Milton, 1966.
Image No. 1755 Courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum
In 1975 there were 104 motorcycles patrolling the state.
Highway Patrol Police Officer on his Honda CB750 motorcycle, c1975. This type of motorbike was used between 1972 and 1978.
Image No. PM1758 Courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum
As of November 2005 the service maintained a fleet of 87 Honda motorcycles to perform traffic, general, ceremonial and special operations, across the state. In 2006 the Service offered police officers a choice between the new Honda ST1100P or BMW R11500P and the new models that superseded them. Today motorcycle officers ride on either BMW or Yamaha bikes.
Senior Constable Geoff Robson riding his BMW, K100 TIC police motorcycle, 1991.
Image No. PM1436 Courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum
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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the best resources available at the time of writing. The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane.
Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au
“A History of Police Motorcycles” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode… Continue reading