Kettering Police Department Motor Unit
The City of Kettering, OH is located in southeast Ohio just south of
Dayton, OH. Its namesake is Charles Kettering, inventor of the electric self-starter for cars as well as countless other
developments such as the electric cash register. Kettering became a city in 1955. The City, "founded on progress,"
steadily grew to a current population of approximately 60,000.
During its
growth, the police department continually searched for ways to advance itself to better provide quality serve to its residents.
In March 1966 the police department brought its first police motorcycle into service. Used primarily for traffic enforcement
it was also a prominent public relations tool. Over time the program was discontinued and the motor removed from service.
However, in the spring of 1994 a test program was launched and once again there was a police
motor unit patrolling the streets of Kettering. Again the unit was used for traffic enforcement but became a recognized
public relations tool. In 1996 a second motor unit was added and both operators were sent to Harley-Davidson Northwestern
University police motorcycle operator's course.
The units continued to
evolve in appearance and equipment. 2006 brought the biggest change to the unit. The color scheme was changed
to better match the motors to the marked patrol units. The logo on the tank, which had been a stylized eagle, was updated
and LED lights were added. The motor unit operates year round with traffic enforcement being its primary focus.
| 1966 H-D Model FLH |
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| Kettering Police Department |
