The Archive
Every film
Researched documentaries on American police vehicles, 1899 to 1978. Every film has a full research page with its sources listed.
12 films · newest first
Thumbnail 1280×720 — Plymouth Fury
1956–78
·
20 min
Before The Crown Vic, There Was The Plymouth Fury
The car that ruled American policing for twenty-two years before Ford inherited the crown.
Machines
1950s–70s
Thumbnail 1280×720 — 1955 Buick CHP
1955
·
20 min
The 1955 Buick That Only Cops Could Buy
A phantom model that appeared in no brochure, sold only to the California Highway Patrol.
CHP
1950s
Thumbnail 1280×720 — police motorcycle
1908–65
·
21 min
What Killed The Police Motorcycle
It wasn’t a faster car. It was a box of vacuum tubes the motorcycle couldn’t carry.
Machines
Thumbnail 1280×720 — NYPD fleet
1910–70
·
21 min
How NYPD Built America’s Biggest Police Fleet
The biggest fleet in America was almost never built for the chase.
NYPD
Departments
Thumbnail 1280×720 — Hudson Hornet
1951–54
·
23 min
The Hudson Hornet Cop Cars Everyone Forgot
A six-cylinder that beat every V8 in NASCAR — and quietly served as a southern pursuit car.
Machines
1950s
Thumbnail 1280×720 — Dillinger / stolen car
1919–34
·
21 min
How John Dillinger’s Stolen Car Doomed Him
A forgotten law about stolen cars gave the FBI the power to cross state lines.
Outlaws
FBI
Thumbnail 1280×720 — Ford V8 cops & robbers
1932–74
·
20 min
Why Gangsters And The FBI Drove The Same Ford
One affordable V8 armed both sides of the law at exactly the same moment.
Outlaws
FBI
Thumbnail 1280×720 — Frank Hamer
1934
·
19 min
The Risky Tactic That Caught Bonnie & Clyde
The old Ranger didn’t out-drive them. He out-thought their car.
Outlaws
1930s
Thumbnail 1280×720 — Capone-era Chicago
1920s
·
18 min
How Gangsters Built The Modern Squad Car
Chicago’s gang wars forced American police to invent the radio-dispatched patrol car.
Outlaws
Chicago
Thumbnail 1280×720 — LAPD black-and-white
1950–70
·
19 min
How LAPD Invented The Modern Cop Car
How one department’s choices shaped what every American police car became.
LAPD
Departments
Thumbnail 1280×720 — police motorcycle
1908–65
·
21 min
What Killed The Police Motorcycle
It wasn’t a faster car. It was a box of vacuum tubes the motorcycle couldn’t carry.
Machines
Thumbnail 1280×720 — NYPD fleet
1910–70
·
21 min
How NYPD Built America’s Biggest Police Fleet
The biggest fleet in America was almost never built for the chase.
NYPD
Departments
Thumbnail 1280×720 — Dillinger / stolen car
1919–34
·
21 min
How John Dillinger’s Stolen Car Doomed Him
A forgotten law about stolen cars gave the FBI the power to cross state lines.
Outlaws
FBI
Thumbnail 1280×720 — police motorcycle
1908–65
·
21 min
What Killed The Police Motorcycle
It wasn’t a faster car. It was a box of vacuum tubes the motorcycle couldn’t carry.
Machines
Thumbnail 1280×720 — NYPD fleet
1910–70
·
21 min
How NYPD Built America’s Biggest Police Fleet
The biggest fleet in America was almost never built for the chase.
NYPD
Departments
Thumbnail 1280×720 — Dillinger / stolen car
1919–34
·
21 min
How John Dillinger’s Stolen Car Doomed Him
A forgotten law about stolen cars gave the FBI the power to cross state lines.
Outlaws
FBI
Thumbnail 1280×720 — police motorcycle
1908–65
·
21 min
What Killed The Police Motorcycle
It wasn’t a faster car. It was a box of vacuum tubes the motorcycle couldn’t carry.
Machines
Thumbnail 1280×720 — NYPD fleet
1910–70
·
21 min
How NYPD Built America’s Biggest Police Fleet
The biggest fleet in America was almost never built for the chase.
NYPD
Departments
Thumbnail 1280×720 — Plymouth Fury
1956–78
·
20 min
Before The Crown Vic, There Was The Plymouth Fury
The car that ruled American policing for twenty-two years before Ford inherited the crown.
Machines
1950s–70s
Thumbnail 1280×720 — 1955 Buick CHP
1955
·
20 min
The 1955 Buick That Only Cops Could Buy
A phantom model that appeared in no brochure, sold only to the California Highway Patrol.
CHP
1950s
Thumbnail 1280×720 — police motorcycle
1908–65
·
21 min
What Killed The Police Motorcycle
It wasn’t a faster car. It was a box of vacuum tubes the motorcycle couldn’t carry.
Machines
Thumbnail 1280×720 — NYPD fleet
1910–70
·
21 min
How NYPD Built America’s Biggest Police Fleet
The biggest fleet in America was almost never built for the chase.
NYPD
Departments
Thumbnail 1280×720 — Hudson Hornet
1951–54
·
23 min
The Hudson Hornet Cop Cars Everyone Forgot
A six-cylinder that beat every V8 in NASCAR — and quietly served as a southern pursuit car.
Machines
1950s
Thumbnail 1280×720 — Ford V8 cops & robbers
1932–74
·
20 min
Why Gangsters And The FBI Drove The Same Ford
One affordable V8 armed both sides of the law at exactly the same moment.
Outlaws
FBI
Thumbnail 1280×720 — Plymouth Fury
1956–78
·
20 min
Before The Crown Vic, There Was The Plymouth Fury
The car that ruled American policing for twenty-two years before Ford inherited the crown.
Machines
1950s–70s
Thumbnail 1280×720 — police motorcycle
1908–65
·
21 min
What Killed The Police Motorcycle
It wasn’t a faster car. It was a box of vacuum tubes the motorcycle couldn’t carry.
Machines
Thumbnail 1280×720 — NYPD fleet
1910–70
·
21 min
How NYPD Built America’s Biggest Police Fleet
The biggest fleet in America was almost never built for the chase.
NYPD
Departments
Thumbnail 1280×720 — Ford V8 cops & robbers
1932–74
·
20 min
Why Gangsters And The FBI Drove The Same Ford
One affordable V8 armed both sides of the law at exactly the same moment.
Outlaws
FBI
Thumbnail 1280×720 — 1955 Buick CHP
1955
·
20 min
The 1955 Buick That Only Cops Could Buy
A phantom model that appeared in no brochure, sold only to the California Highway Patrol.
CHP
1950s
Thumbnail 1280×720 — NYPD fleet
1910–70
·
21 min
How NYPD Built America’s Biggest Police Fleet
The biggest fleet in America was almost never built for the chase.
NYPD
Departments
Thumbnail 1280×720 — Dillinger / stolen car
1919–34
·
21 min
How John Dillinger’s Stolen Car Doomed Him
A forgotten law about stolen cars gave the FBI the power to cross state lines.
Outlaws
FBI
Thumbnail 1280×720 — Ford V8 cops & robbers
1932–74
·
20 min
Why Gangsters And The FBI Drove The Same Ford
One affordable V8 armed both sides of the law at exactly the same moment.
Outlaws
FBI
Thumbnail 1280×720 — Plymouth Fury
1956–78
·
20 min
Before The Crown Vic, There Was The Plymouth Fury
The car that ruled American policing for twenty-two years before Ford inherited the crown.
Machines
1950s–70s
Thumbnail 1280×720 — 1955 Buick CHP
1955
·
20 min
The 1955 Buick That Only Cops Could Buy
A phantom model that appeared in no brochure, sold only to the California Highway Patrol.
CHP
1950s
Thumbnail 1280×720 — police motorcycle
1908–65
·
21 min
What Killed The Police Motorcycle
It wasn’t a faster car. It was a box of vacuum tubes the motorcycle couldn’t carry.
Machines
Thumbnail 1280×720 — Hudson Hornet
1951–54
·
23 min
The Hudson Hornet Cop Cars Everyone Forgot
A six-cylinder that beat every V8 in NASCAR — and quietly served as a southern pursuit car.
Machines
1950s
Thumbnail 1280×720 — Ford V8 cops & robbers
1932–74
·
20 min
Why Gangsters And The FBI Drove The Same Ford
One affordable V8 armed both sides of the law at exactly the same moment.
Outlaws
FBI