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Police Officer, Motorcycle Squad
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| Title | Police Officer, Motorcycle Squad |
| Description | Postcard of Frank C. Brown, a member of Kansas City's first motorcycle police squad |
| Historical Article | Frank C. Brown, a member of Kansas City's first motorcycle squad wore his blue serge police uniform, along with leather leggings, cap and goggles. (There were no windshields on motorcycles at the time, 1909) Beside him in this postcard picture is his new Indian cycle with carbide headlights.
He stands in front of his parentâ??s home in a section of Kansas City known as Dutch hill at 2726 Cherry. The right side of the double house, 2744 Cherry, was used by the Watson Bakery Company, which had baking ovens in a building at the rear. Barns housed wagons and horses for delivering the bakery goods.
Frank's father, Aquilla (Pop) Brown, leaning on the porch post, is listed in the 1907 directory as vice-president of the bakery and James Watson, president. Pop, in his horse drawn vehicle, was a familiar figure on his bread delivery route.
Young Frank Brown, a wheelman, as the motorcycle squad members were called, was representative of a group of volunteers who preferred the thrills of the cycle squad. Their jobs meant riding for hours in all but the coldest weather as well risking their lives in high-speed chases in traffic.
Frank Brown died in 1943. He was a member of Kansas City's police department all his life, except for four years spent in the Navy during World War I. He has a nephew, Sgt. Robert E. Brown, now serving his 19th year in the department.
Kansas City has 27 wheelman on the motorcycle squad today. They are used for crowd patrol, special events and sports, escort and to enforce traffic laws. They are not to be confused with three wheel servi-car riders, whose function is parking patrol.
Kansas City Star
November 1, 1969
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| Author | Ray, Mrs. Sam (Mildred)
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| Item Type | Postcard |
| Collection | Mrs. Sam Ray Postcard Collection (SC58)
See finding aid: http://localhistory.kclibrary.org/u?/Local,36981 |
| Location | SC58 |
| Local Subject | Police Officers
Police Department Employees
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| Digital Format | JPEG |
| Barcode | 20000089 |
| Repository | Missouri Valley Special Collections, Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, Missouri |
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