The History of the Kettering Police Department Motorcycle 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.
Information and Photos provided by the Kettering, OH Police Department