In early 1910, the Seattle police department invested $1,329 in its first three motorcycles, with seven patrolman selected as the first members of the "motor cops" squad. At the time, speeding fines were paid to King County rather than the city of Seattle, and the city hoped to pass a traffic ordinance which would allow it to keep fines for itself. Purchasing motorcycles was seen as an investment to help with this goal. Within a few years, the city's motorcycle squad had expanded to 15 machines.

This image shows one of Seattle's motorcycle police officers posing with his bike outside police headquarters.

Caption information source: "City may get fines from auto speeders," Seattle Daily Times, April 9, 1910, page 15.
Caption information source: "Motorcycles in police service," Seattle Daily Times, November 1, 1914, page 49.