Arresting collection of old police vehicles on show

The fleet of NZ Police vehicles which includes cars, vans and motorbikes was handed over to MOTAT on long-tem loan in December.

Deputy Commissioner Lyn Provost says NZ Police is grateful to MOTAT for displaying the collection which represents some significant milestones in police history.

"With our prime focus on policing, we had limited opportunity to display the collection which is considered one of the best in the Southern Hemisphere," says Lyn.  "MOTAT is helping to safeguard history for all New Zealanders."

MOTAT Director Jeremy Hubbard says the fleet is an important addition to the museum’s collections.

The collection on display includes:

• 1921 Model T Ford Prison Van reproduction that is the oldest vehicle in the collection and one of only three in the country.
• 1955 Humber Super Snipe reproduction created for the British Rally, which was a much loved police car and was one of the first to have car radios installed.
• 1965 EH Holden Dog Van vehicle hand-built to New Zealand specifications. It still has the name of each dog that worked out of the vehicle written on the roof.
• 1968 Ford Galaxie LTD original vehicle that was the ministerial car for Rt. Hon Norman Kirk and Rt. Hon Robert Muldoon before becoming the Police Commissioners’ car.
• 1975 HQ Holden Kingswood – the iconic Kiwi police car.
• 1984 CF Bedford Prison van.
• 1988 Mitsubishi V300 with integrated markings of the police and MOT.
• Bedford Scene Command Module Bus – a unique mobile office and technology centre with all the original equipment down to the plastic lunch plates.