A history of Massachusetts police cars...Boston, MDC, MSP etc...

HFD eng1ine

Member
Jul 27, 2010
974
Essex County. MA
Great thread! I love our states State PD cars! The colors are just sweet! And some trivia...guess were Hitler got the idea for his uniforms....Massachussetts State Police!!!!!


KP
 

RMBROWN

Member
May 20, 2010
631
Brooklyn.MI
Why does pic 8 only have half of the push bumper on one side and not both? Just carious
 

emtanderson51

Member
Apr 9, 2011
3,795
USA Massachusetts
RMBROWN said:
Why does pic 8 only have half of the push bumper on one side and not both? Just carious

That is an old Metropolitan District Commission car. They were "absorbed" into the MSP along with the Registry police. You can tell by the lightbar. I'll bet that car was 10 years old at that point....
 

philyumpshus

Member
Jun 20, 2010
1,281
Malone, NY
I like the SP's paint scheme, too. Picture 12 is, to me, a quintessential American police car- CVPI, push bumper, Whelen Edge, and those classy plastic wheel covers. :D
 

I'mabeast

New Member
Apr 5, 2011
268
Massillon, Ohio
In the ninth picture, I like how there's a what looks like a sheriff car next to the state trooper with an all amber lightbar, however nice history. :thumbsup: :) :yes:
 

nerdly_dood

Member
Jun 15, 2010
2,312
Georgia
I said:
In the ninth picture' date=' I like how there's a what looks like a sheriff car next to the state trooper with an all amber lightbar, however nice history. :thumbsup: :) :yes: [/quote']

That looks like it's from Florida, that kind of thing is common there - community service, neighborhood watch, volunteer policing kinda things.
 

Zoe

Member
May 28, 2010
776
Deerfield MA
I think the one with the snow was take on Dorsey Rd in Erving.. Just thought I'd throw that out there...


Also, honorable mention needs to go to the Chevy Caprice!

81.jpeg

MSP_Cruiser_2445_(Small).jpeg
 

Mrlunchbox

Member
Jun 12, 2010
1,293
Central, MA
What was the Registry Police? I am surprised I have never heard or seen of them before. Same goes for the Metropolitan Police. But then again I am only 30 years old. :)
 

emtanderson51

Member
Apr 9, 2011
3,795
USA Massachusetts
Mrlunchbox said:
What was the Registry Police? I am surprised I have never heard or seen of them before. Same goes for the Metropolitan Police. But then again I am only 30 years old. :)
The Registry Police served the RMV. They became part of the State Police at the same time with the Metro Police...I'll try and get a pic up..
 

Zoe

Member
May 28, 2010
776
Deerfield MA
Mrlunchbox said:
What was the Registry Police? I am surprised I have never heard or seen of them before. Same goes for the Metropolitan Police. But then again I am only 30 years old. :)

They went the way of the Dodo in 1991.


Here is some history on them:


List of defunct law enforcement agencies of Massachusetts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


For some pictures, check out: French and Electric Blue


They ended up being rolled into the Mass State Police to the contention of many a Trooper (since it was perceived that their training and standards weren't up to par with MSP).


There was even a derogatory term for them... NRCs perhaps? Or that might just be the one for C.O.s in this state. ("Not Real Cops").


That said, they did have full academy and powers towards the end of their reign... and they were certainly feared. Not only were they tough as nails, because they were agents of the RMV, they had the power to suspend one's right to operate right on the spot.


There has been rumblings in the past few years that the MBTA Police would be rolled into the MA State Police as well for logistical and $$ reasons. I doubt this will happen any time soon (however, I did speak to at least one person who said they were going to get hired with the MBTA and wait to become an automatic trooper because it was easier to do it that way).
 
May 21, 2010
1,203
Wilkes-Barre, Pa
Great post. I like seeing the different lighting options as the progressed. Interesting to see a bit of red in there on occasion. Looks like in the 60's they went from blue to red and back again. Tried red/blue in the 80's briefly and back to blue again. The MDC color combo is wicked different. I bet FS never built too many color combo domes like that in the US.
 

cook2890

Member
Sep 27, 2010
456
Murfreesboro TN
Love seeing the old cars like this. I'm trying to dig up old pics of some Tennessee stuff and more local Murfreesboro stuff. Having a hard time finding much. I've taken to trying to get pics of local patrol units just for posterity!!!
 

liberal noob

Member
Jun 14, 2010
119
Berkley, MA
It drives me nuts that the State Police does not put lightbars on their Dodge Chargers. It was rare for me to see a Ford State Police car in my youth. Tons of Caprices.
 

emtanderson51

Member
Apr 9, 2011
3,795
USA Massachusetts
liberal noob said:
It drives me nuts that the State Police does not put lightbars on their Dodge Chargers. It was rare for me to see a Ford State Police car in my youth. Tons of Caprices.

I know....I have never ever seen a MSP charger with a lightbar.........loved the Caprice....moved for a boat!
 

MAPMFF86

Member
Jul 1, 2011
61
Massachusetts, USA
motorolamaniac said:
Great post. I like seeing the different lighting options as the progressed. Interesting to see a bit of red in there on occasion. Looks like in the 60's they went from blue to red and back again. Tried red/blue in the 80's briefly and back to blue again. The MDC color combo is wicked different. I bet FS never built too many color combo domes like that in the US.


And there may be more color changes/equipment changes to come in the not to near future. A study was done by the MSP that was widely reported on by the local media that the current LED lighting may have contributed to a rash of MSP involved car accidents/mostly rear ended while the units were stopped on the highway. Basically the short and skinny of it is that the lighting is too bright, making it difficult to see anything else around or beyond the cruiser and contributing to the "moth effect" of people driving towards the light, especially those under the influence of drugs/etoh. So it'll be interesting to see if the MSP changes what they equip there cruisers with, and it'd be anyone's guess what they would revert back to.


:popcorn:
 

emtanderson51

Member
Apr 9, 2011
3,795
USA Massachusetts
MAPMFF86 said:
And there may be more color changes/equipment changes to come in the not to near future. A study was done by the MSP that was widely reported on by the local media that the current LED lighting may have contributed to a rash of MSP involved car accidents/mostly rear ended while the units were stopped on the highway. Basically the short and skinny of it is that the lighting is too bright, making it difficult to see anything else around or beyond the cruiser and contributing to the "moth effect" of people driving towards the light, especially those under the influence of drugs/etoh. So it'll be interesting to see if the MSP changes what they equip there cruisers with, and it'd be anyone's guess what they would revert back to.
:popcorn:

I said that on this forum 3 months ago......the "signal alert" pattern that comes as the default flash pattern on most of the new Whelen product is entrancing and has no dark time.....I eyed a new MSP Crown Vic done with a Valor and Fed Sig rear deck lighting....
 

MAPMFF86

Member
Jul 1, 2011
61
Massachusetts, USA
emtanderson51 said:
I said that on this forum 3 months ago......the "signal alert" pattern that comes as the default flash pattern on most of the new Whelen product is entrancing and has no dark time.....I eyed a new MSP Crown Vic done with a Valor and Fed Sig rear deck lighting....

That'd be interesting to see, havent seen anything here yet outta the Danvers or Andover barracks, I know they have an academy class in right now so maybe they'll be a batch of new units on the road when they graduate.
 

dmathieu

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 20, 2010
8,766
S.W. New Hampshire, USA
Back in the 1960s the Mass.State Police troop running under the Mass Turnpike Authority used Chrysler product stationwagons for cruisers. They were Irish green and white, and had a all red model 17 Beacon Ray. The regular SP had the French ans Electric blue cars with a slpit blue front / red rear Model 17 Beacon Ray.


These turnpike station wagons were cruiser / ambulances, like the previouly posted 1960 Rambler. Note the stretcher in one of the pictures.


Dan

931084592305_0_alb.jpg

c158_1.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:

emtanderson51

Member
Apr 9, 2011
3,795
USA Massachusetts
dmathieu said:
Back in the 1960s the Mass.State Police troop running under the Mass Turnpike Authority used Chrysler product stationwagons for cruisers. They were Irish green and white, and had a all red model 17 Beacon Ray. The regular SP had the French ans Electric blue cars with a slpit blue front / red rear Model 17 Beacon Ray.

Dan

Very interesting Dan......how old are you???lol I thought I was old! I remember the old Mass Pike Emergency trucks with the caps and the all amber to the front and red/amber to the rear aerodynics.....loved those trucks! Now they sport 8 head freedoms 700 lin led(like 8 total) a lin 500 series traffic arrow( in the shape of an arrow) and just to make sure you can see them....2 white tir 3 by the licence plate...lol I don't remember any big stories about those trucks with the aero getting hit..
 

HILO

Member
May 20, 2010
2,781
Grand Prairie Texas
I dig the real fog lights on a couple of those cars. You just dont see amber fog lights anymore.
 

dmathieu

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 20, 2010
8,766
S.W. New Hampshire, USA
Since they started using warning lights, I believe blue has always been the primary color to the front on MSP cruisers.


Even back in the 40s, when the roof light was a flashing "beehive" type light, the color was blue. This is the case with most, if not all Massachusetts police vehicles.


Many used split domes, blue/front, red/rear.


One exception was the all red Beacon Ray used un the Turnpike cruisers in the 60s and early 70s. The Turnpike Authority could make their own rules.


You may find pictures of refurbished MSP cruisers sporting red domes. This is not accurate.


When lightbars came out, there may have been some mixed red to the front on some police cars, but blue has always been the primary color to the front.


Dan
 

Zoe

Member
May 28, 2010
776
Deerfield MA
dmathieu said:
Since they started using warning lights, I believe blue has always been the primary color to the front on MSP cruisers.
Even back in the 40s, when the roof light was a flashing "beehive" type light, the color was blue. This is the case with most, if not all Massachusetts police vehicles.


Many used split domes, blue/front, red/rear.


One exception was the all red Beacon Ray used un the Turnpike cruisers in the 60s and early 70s. The Turnpike Authority could make their own rules.


You may find pictures of refurbished MSP cruisers sporting red domes. This is not accurate.


When lightbars came out, there may have been some mixed red to the front on some police cars, but blue has always been the primary color to the front.


Dan

And of course, I'm pretty young in the grand scheme of things, but as far as I know in Massachusetts, Blue has been the exclusive forward color for Police and Red has been for Fire/EMS.


Not sure when these were standardized/agreed upon, but it sounds like dmathieu has a pretty good idea of the history.
 

Sarge619

Member
Jul 19, 2011
522
Central Massachusetts
Zack said:
And of course, I'm pretty young in the grand scheme of things, but as far as I know in Massachusetts, Blue has been the exclusive forward color for Police and Red has been for Fire/EMS.

Not sure when these were standardized/agreed upon, but it sounds like dmathieu has a pretty good idea of the history.

You are correct Zack. In fact, it is under Massachusetts State Law Ch90 s 7E:


Section 7E. No motor vehicle operated pursuant to section seven other than fire apparatus, ambulances, school buses, vehicles specified in section seven D used for transporting school children, and vehicles specified in section seven I shall mount or display a flashing, rotating or oscillating red light in any direction, except as herein provided; provided, however, that nothing in this section shall prohibit an official police vehicle from displaying a flashing, rotating or oscillating red light in the opposite direction in which the vehicle is proceeding or prohibit fire apparatus from displaying a flashing, rotating or oscillating blue light in the opposite direction in which the vehicle is proceeding.


No motor vehicle or trailer except (i) a vehicle used solely for official business by any police department of the commonwealth or its political subdivisions or by any railroad police department or college or university police department whose officers are appointed as special state police officers by the colonel of state police pursuant to section sixty-three of chapter twenty-two C and subject to such special rules and regulations applicable to such college or university police department as the registrar may prescribe, (ii) a vehicle owned and operated by a police officer of any town or any agency of the commonwealth while on official duty and when authorized by the officer’s police chief or agency head and only by authority of a permit issued by the registrar, (iii) a vehicle operated by a duly appointed medical examiner or a physician or surgeon attached to a police department of any city or town only while on official duty and only by authority of a permit issued by the registrar, (iv) a vehicle operated by a police commissioner of a police department of any city only while on official duty and only by authority of a permit issued by the registrar, (v) a vehicle actually being used for the transportation of persons who are under arrest, or in lawful custody under authority of any court, or committed to penal or mental institutions, and only by authority of a permit issued by the registrar, (vi) a vehicle operated by a chaplain of a municipal police department while on official duty and only by authority of a permit issued by the registrar shall mount or display a flashing, rotating or oscillating blue light in any direction. The registrar may also make such rules and regulations governing or prohibiting the display of such other lights on motor vehicles as he may deem necessary for public safety.


Note how the first section of ch90 s7E allows police vehicles to display red lights "in the direction opposite of travel" and fire apparatus to display blue lights "in the direction opposite of travel". While not actually specifying that police cannot use red to the front or fire blue to the front, it is inferred by that passage, as, generally, we don't drive our vehicles around in reverse all the time as a rule.


In fact, right up until the 90's, it was not uncommon to see Mass DPW trucks and equipment operating with blue lights to the rear (guess they thought motorists would use more caution approaching a street sweeper if they thought it was a cruiser!).


Standard MSP Troop cruisers in the late '70's and '80's sported AeroDynics with all blue lenses to the front and red (driver side) and blue (passenger side) to the rear. I knew a few troopers and locals departments that swapped the passenger side lenses to red front and rear. That was a BIG no-no, and the RMV actually made noise about fining agencies violating the red to the front rule on police vehicles (including a town near where I work).


MSP cruisers on the MassPike (E-Troop) could get away with it because the MGL's did not apply to the Pike. It is/was considered a private road, the cruisers owned by the MTA and not the MSP (also, unlike regular troop assignments, E-Troop cruisers were not issued to troopers and remained on Pike property at all times) and as such they had carte blanche to do as they wished regarding equipping of their cruisers (a speeding ticket issued to a violator on I-90 was not the same as the Massachusetts Uniform Traffic Citation issued on "public ways". It was a "Violation of Massachusetts Turnpike Rules/Regulations). In fact, right up until the advent of the 800mHz radio system now in use by all troops (the intial portion of which was inherited from the MDC after the consolidation and the greatly updated and expanded upon) E-Troop cruisers operated off of a much more modern/effective VHF-High-Band repeaterized radio system while regular troops had to suffice with the old VHF Low-Band system. I remember the first Aerodynics to show up on the MSP were on the Pike (in 78 I believe on their newest Fords) and they had blue lenses on the driver side (f/r) and red lenses on the passenger side (f/r). Eventually, I believe starting about the time the Pike started equipping their cruisers with Whelen Edge 9000's (early 80's) they adopted the all-blue-to-the-front doctrine.


When regular troop cruisers eventually began sporting AeroDynics (the Pike, which had considerably more $$ to play with than the MSP, usually got the newest equipment before the other troops and served as a "test bed" for the latest technology for years), they were spec'd with the all blue front, split red/blue rear. Many local PD's, including my own, copied the MSP-spec bars.


The days of split color rotating beacons started coming to a close when the MSP switched from round-top Federal BeaconRays to flat-top Federal CJ184's with the integral siren speaker. The flat-tops predominantly had all blue domes (although some late sixties Ford wagons and sedans and Chevy sedans I've seen had split domes on their CJ184's).
 
Last edited by a moderator:

emtanderson51

Member
Apr 9, 2011
3,795
USA Massachusetts
Sarge619 said:
You are correct Zack. In fact, it is under Massachusetts State Law Ch90 s 7E:

Section 7E. No motor vehicle operated pursuant to section seven other than fire apparatus, ambulances, school buses, vehicles specified in section seven D used for transporting school children, and vehicles specified in section seven I shall mount or display a flashing, rotating or oscillating red light in any direction, except as herein provided; provided, however, that nothing in this section shall prohibit an official police vehicle from displaying a flashing, rotating or oscillating red light in the opposite direction in which the vehicle is proceeding or prohibit fire apparatus from displaying a flashing, rotating or oscillating blue light in the opposite direction in which the vehicle is proceeding.


No motor vehicle or trailer except (i) a vehicle used solely for official business by any police department of the commonwealth or its political subdivisions or by any railroad police department or college or university police department whose officers are appointed as special state police officers by the colonel of state police pursuant to section sixty-three of chapter twenty-two C and subject to such special rules and regulations applicable to such college or university police department as the registrar may prescribe, (ii) a vehicle owned and operated by a police officer of any town or any agency of the commonwealth while on official duty and when authorized by the officer’s police chief or agency head and only by authority of a permit issued by the registrar, (iii) a vehicle operated by a duly appointed medical examiner or a physician or surgeon attached to a police department of any city or town only while on official duty and only by authority of a permit issued by the registrar, (iv) a vehicle operated by a police commissioner of a police department of any city only while on official duty and only by authority of a permit issued by the registrar, (v) a vehicle actually being used for the transportation of persons who are under arrest, or in lawful custody under authority of any court, or committed to penal or mental institutions, and only by authority of a permit issued by the registrar, (vi) a vehicle operated by a chaplain of a municipal police department while on official duty and only by authority of a permit issued by the registrar shall mount or display a flashing, rotating or oscillating blue light in any direction. The registrar may also make such rules and regulations governing or prohibiting the display of such other lights on motor vehicles as he may deem necessary for public safety.


Note how the first section of ch90 s7E allows police vehicles to display red lights "in the direction opposite of travel" and fire apparatus to display blue lights "in the direction opposite of travel". While not actually specifying that police cannot use red to the front or fire blue to the front, it is inferred by that passage, as, generally, we don't drive our vehicles around in reverse all the time as a rule.


In fact, right up until the 90's, it was not uncommon to see Mass DPW trucks and equipment operating with blue lights to the rear (guess they thought motorists would use more caution approaching a street sweeper if they thought it was a cruiser!).


Standard MSP Troop cruisers in the late '70's and '80's sported AeroDynics with all blue lenses to the front and red (driver side) and blue (passenger side) to the rear. I knew a few troopers and locals departments that swapped the passenger side lenses to red front and rear. That was a BIG no-no, and the RMV actually made noise about fining agencies violating the red to the front rule on police vehicles (including a town near where I work).


MSP cruisers on the MassPike (E-Troop) could get away with it because the MGL's did not apply to the Pike. It is/was considered a private road, the cruisers owned by the MTA and not the MSP (also, unlike regular troop assignments, E-Troop cruisers were not issued to troopers and remained on Pike property at all times) and as such they had carte blanche to do as they wished regarding equipping of their cruisers (a speeding ticket issued to a violator on I-90 was not the same as the Massachusetts Uniform Traffic Citation issued on "public ways". It was a "Violation of Massachusetts Turnpike Rules/Regulations). In fact, right up until the advent of the 800mHz radio system now in use by all troops (the intial portion of which was inherited from the MDC after the consolidation and the greatly updated and expanded upon) E-Troop cruisers operated off of a much more modern/effective VHF-High-Band repeaterized radio system while regular troops had to suffice with the old VHF Low-Band system. I remember the first Aerodynics to show up on the MSP were on the Pike (in 78 I believe on their newest Fords) and they had blue lenses on the driver side (f/r) and red lenses on the passenger side (f/r). Eventually, I believe starting about the time the Pike started equipping their cruisers with Whelen Edge 9000's (early 80's) they adopted the all-blue-to-the-front doctrine.


When regular troop cruisers eventually began sporting AeroDynics (the Pike, which had considerably more $$ to play with than the MSP, usually got the newest equipment before the other troops and served as a "test bed" for the latest technology for years), they were spec'd with the all blue front, split red/blue rear. Many local PD's, including my own, copied the MSP-spec bars.


The days of split color rotating beacons ended when the MSP switched from round-top Federal BeaconRays to flat-top Federal CJ184's with the integral siren speaker. The flat-tops had all blue domes (although it's entirely possible they may have experiented with split domes on the 184's, though I never saw one in the 43 years I've lived in the Commonwealth and been a keen follower of police vehicles through the decades).

I can remember the Southboro P.D. used standard red/blue Streethawks and the Framingham P.D. use 1 front red light in all their current bars starting with the 9M bars. Webster also uses the 1 forward red as well as the new Northboro PD (driver side red corner on their libbies). Back in the late 70's and early 80's the only forward red I remember were the MDC Aerodynics.......AND the new MA law regarding flashing red lights is absurd as my tail lights are red and every time I take a left or a right I am in violation of that law lol Previously it only prohibited forward flashing, rotating or oscilating lights. Remember all the Dietz 7-11 beacons that were split amber/red???
 

Zoe

Member
May 28, 2010
776
Deerfield MA
gmack24 said:
I notice these were all taken from
French and electric blue. :undecided:


French and Electric Blue


In the future please include the website so others can go enjoy all of the photos. :thumbsup:


Cheers !!!!!


Greg


Founder of French and Electric Blue


French and Electric Blue

Great website Greg!


Also, I did include a link (and citation) for your website on the first page of this thread...


...just so you know you weren't going unappreciated.


:)
 

CFD125

Member
May 21, 2010
487
Carver, Mass.
killCARB027 said:
The Mass State Police and the Boston PD have always had good looking patrol cars, I have a question about emergency lights on Mass State Police cruisers. I know that the Chicago PD was one of the first US police departments to start using Blue flashing lights on their patrol cars around 1960 or so however I notice that all vintage Mass State Police cars seem to have forward facing Blue lights even going as far back as the early
1950's or late 1940's. That restored 1951 MSP Ford sedan has a Blue rather than Red siren/light on the roof and what I'm not sure of is whether the siren/light on the roof of that vintage Ford patrol car was originally Blue or else Red like pretty much all other US emergency vehicles at the time. Did Mass State Police cars/motorcycles ever use the traditional all Red emergency lights or have their vehicles always been equipped with Blue lights going back to the first vehicles purchased by the department. If MSP vehicles have always used Blue warning lights then that's quite amazing because it would mean that MSP cruisers were probably the first emergency vehicles in either the US or Europe to be equipped with Blue lights.

Most, not all, of the eastern seaboard used exclusively blue to the front years ago. This included FL, GA, NC, SC, VA, CT, MA, NH, ME, VT.


The only New England state to run all red was, and still is Rhode Island. They have some blue on the lightbars in Rhode Island now, but they rarely turn those modules on.


I had the same type of questions when I moved to Milpitas, Ca. in 1980. What was up with red lights forward, and an amber flasher to the rear???


And on most of the Twinsonics, they wouldn't even turn on the rotators. Just the front steady, and rear flasher.


Back in the day, the only Mass agency to run red to the front was the Turnpike Authority, and the MDC police (Metropolitan District Commission...Also Mad Dog Cops)
 

HillRock

New Member
Jun 30, 2010
273
Boston, Mass.
dmathieu said:
No wheel covers either. They used to run them into the ground. Old fleet.

Dan

Well not really, Mass State Police take REALLY good care of there cars and the Troopers have regular 'cleanliness' checks on there assigned vehicles. That said there are a few fleet pool cars that are not assigned as is the case with that LTD. THAT particular old LTD, is an old Metro Police car and as said before, the Metro Cops were absorbed the MSP. Alot of the old Metro cars were painted MSP colors and thrown into the fleet pool.
 

Forum Statistics

Threads
53,962
Messages
449,805
Members
19,102
Latest member
Hilux01

About Us

  • Since 1997, eLightbars has been the premier venue for all things emergency warning equipment. Discussions, classified listings, pictures, videos, chat, & more! Our staff members strive to keep the forums organized and clutter-free. All of our offerings are free-of-charge with all costs offset by banner advertising. Premium offerings are available to improve your experience.

User Menu

Secure Browsing & Transactions

eLightbars.org uses SSL to secure all traffic between our server and your browsing device. All browsing and transactions within are secured by an SSL Certificate with high-strength encryption.