Where the First Police Car Was Used — And Why 1910 Is Often Cited

Akron, Ohio. The first police car was deployed there in 1899, not 1910; by 1910, motorized patrols were spreading to departments in several U.S. cities, which is why some sources loosely associate the milestone with that year. Below, we clarify the timeline and how the technology took hold.

The Akron Origin Story

Historical records consistently credit Akron, Ohio, as the birthplace of the police car. In 1899, the city unveiled an electric-powered patrol wagon designed by Frank Loomis and built by the Collins Buggy Company, marking the first documented use of a motorized vehicle for police work. This innovation predates 1910 by more than a decade and set the stage for a nationwide shift from horse-drawn wagons to automobiles.

Why 1910 Often Enters the Conversation

Although the first police car dates to 1899, the year 1910 is sometimes linked to the concept because it aligns with a period of rapid adoption. Around this time, departments in multiple cities—particularly larger and rapidly modernizing ones—were beginning to integrate motorized patrols, motorcycles, and early automotive tactics, moving beyond experiments to regular use.

Key Milestones in Early Police Vehicle Adoption

The following timeline highlights widely documented turning points that help explain how the 1899 breakthrough in Akron evolved into broader, mainstream use through the 1910s and beyond.

• 1899 — Akron, Ohio: First motorized police patrol wagon (electric), generally recognized as the world’s first police car.
• 1900s — Major U.S. cities: Early trials and incremental adoption of automobiles and motorcycles for patrol and rapid response.
• 1910s — Expansion phase: Motorized patrols spread across urban departments in the United States and Europe, becoming routine rather than experimental.
• 1928 — Detroit, Michigan: First regularly operated one-way police radio in patrol cars, transforming dispatch and coordination.
• 1933 — Bayonne, New Jersey: Among the first documented two-way police radio systems, enabling officers to communicate back to headquarters from the field.

Taken together, these milestones show that while Akron claims the first car in 1899, the 1910s were pivotal for mainstreaming motorized policing—likely the source of date-related confusion.

Bottom Line

If you’re looking for the city tied to the first police car, it’s Akron, Ohio. The association with 1910 reflects the era when motorized patrols became commonplace across many departments, rather than the actual debut of the patrol car itself.

Summary

The first police car was used in Akron, Ohio, in 1899. The year 1910 is often mentioned because it marks a broader adoption phase when many cities began standardizing motorized patrols, but it was not the year of the first-ever police car.

What city employed the first female police officer in the US in 1910?

Los Angeles Police Department
The first policewoman in the United States was hired in 1910 by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). Her name was Alice Stebbins Wells, and she made history by becoming the first woman in the country to be officially appointed as a police officer with full powers of arrest.

Which city had the first police car?

Akron, Ohio
History. The first police car was an electric wagon used by the Akron Police Department in Akron, Ohio, in 1899. The first operator of the police patrol wagon was Officer Louis Mueller, Sr. It could reach 16 mph (26 km/h) and travel 30 mi (48 km) before its battery needed to be recharged.

What city had the first police department?

city of Boston
In 1838, the city of Boston established the first American police force, followed by New York City in 1845, Albany, NY and Chicago in 1851, New Orleans and Cincinnati in 1853, Philadelphia in 1855, and Newark, NJ and Baltimore in 1857 (Harring 1983, Lundman 1980; Lynch 1984).

In which US city was the first police car introduced in 1899?

In fact, the very first police car put into service in the United States relied solely on battery power: It was an electrified vehicle built by the Collins Buggy Company in 1899 for the city of Akron, Ohio.