It\u2019s the oldest OPP vehicle known to exist, and thanks to the generosity of many, it will be around for many years to come<\/p>\n
Back in the early part of the twentieth century, Ontario had very few highways, and even fewer that were paved. The government didn\u2019t view rural traffic enforcement as a police matter, and in 1919 established Traffic Patrol Officers under the Department of Public Highways. With the explosion in the number of both highways and vehicles, these officers were absorbed into the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in 1930. Interestingly, the OPP did not use marked patrol cars until 1941, so traffic patrol was done exclusively by motorcycle. Each patrol officer had to purchase and maintain his own bike, and he received a small allowance for fuel and repairs.<\/p>\n