Cop that

As a long-time subscriber, I have to comment on an article in the Behind the Garage Door section of the August issue. The Mini Cooper mini police car was, as seen in the photo attached, purchased as one of four by the Dunedin City Council for use as patrol cars for its local-body traffic department. Two were fitted with a red light and speaker roof bar, and the other two kept mufti. Besides the four Minis and the collection of motorbikes, there was a white Anglia van for use as load escort and the dog ranger and a Chrysler Valiant used by the chief traffic officer, Percy Lunn.

The Minis were replaced in the early 1970s by Datsun 1600s. Prior to the Ministry of Transport taking over all local-body traffic departments, every local council had its own separate traffic cops. In Auckland, there would have been quite a few, Auckland city, Mount Albert, Mount Wellington, etc.