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. In this 1914 photo, a motorcycle squad of 15 officers shows off its new Indian brand motorcycles. Executives of the Seattle Police Department stand to the right of the fleet: left to right, Chief of Police Austin E. Griffiths (1963-1952), Inspector Mike T. Powers, Lieut. D.J. Drew, and Sergeant Quinn of the traffic force. The officers, left to right, are identified as Roy Olmstead, Don M. Blaine, O.I. Van Buskirk, Lewis Gay, B.H. Williams, Chad Ballard, J.J. Cush, C.J. Clark, Erne Youris, J.L. Williams, Frank Fuqua, J.A. Thomas, C.J. Stanley, Frank Olmstead and Sergeant Lee Dagner.
Handwritten on recto: Oct. 22 - 1917 Typed on verso: First motorcycle police squad, installed by Police Chief Austin E. Griffiths, 1914
Caption information source: Seattle Times, April 8, 1910, p. 15 and November 1, 1917, p. 49.
Physical Description: 1 photographic print mounted on cardboard: b&w ; 8 x 10 in.
Additional Information: Digital copy of this item available thanks to funding from a 2016 Institute for Museum and Library Services grant. Metadata updated as part of a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the Library Services and Technology Act, through the Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State.
