Published: Thursday 10 October 2024
On Tuesday 8th October, VPL Ambassador Acting Superintendent Chris Allen organised for a group of police legatees to visit the Police Transport Branch in company of fellow VPL Ambassador, Acting Inspector Dean Pickering, and Sergeant Paramjot Singh. The visit resulted from a recent VPL Regional Lunch where there were rumours from the police legatees of a large number of historical photos on the walls of the hallways (especially Police members on motorbikes as a number of
police legatees had husbands who were involved in the solo unit in the 60’s and 70’s).
Police legatees scoured the hallways of Transport Branch like super sleuths and located some fond memories of the types of motorbikes and cars used in times gone by. The tour was led by Transport Branch member Acting Senior Sergeant Josh Stolk. Police legatee Shirley McKenzie even identified a squad mate of her late husband Alistair McKenzie on a motorbike in a picture. We also had a police legatee, Lynn Lighton, who ironically used to work at Transport Branch between 1965-1973, visit the Motor Driving School where her husband, John Lighton, worked 15 years ago. The driving instructors remembered her and her husband and were able to show her photos of him and even located an old name tag which they gave to her.
The tour continued with a visit to the Mobile Police Unit where current technology was showcased. Police legatees were lucky enough to watch live airwing footage of an arrest of a male hiding in a wheelie bin by the dog squad to their amazement. The visit continued with Senior Sergeant John Papas OIC Solo Unit giving a tour of the solo unit’s motorbikes which was greatly appreciated considering the police legatees connection with the unit. The group were amazed at how far technology and Police capability had come from the times they last saw their husbands on Police motorbikes in the 60’s and 70’s.
A huge 'THANKS' to VPL Ambassador Acting Superintendent Chris Allen for arranging this fantastic experience for police legatees.
