§Dont laugh.(1 / 1)

A Volkswagen police cruiser may seem like a funny idea to you, but it makes a lot of sense to the city of Saint John, New Brunswick.

They wanted a car that could take a 285-pound, 6 footer like Officer Doug Titus on traffic duty, 7 days a week, in grueling stop-and-start traffic. A car that could maneuver easily through Saint Johns narrow streets and twisting lanes. Without breaking down. And without breaking the taxpayers.

So, in 1964 they bought Car S-5, a VW with a dome light, siren and 2-way radio.

1965 was the year of Saint John‘s worst winter in years. The city’s steep hills were covered with slippery slush and dangerous glare ice. But Car S-5 was a credit to the force. It went uphill. And downhill. And Officer Titus was able to look after police calls while the big police cruisers were still up to their hubcaps in trouble.

Car S-5 still uses so little gas that the department doesn‘t even bother to keep an exact count. It still doesn’t need oil between changes. And its never had a breakdown.

After two years of continuous use, Car S-5 has only had its clutch replaced and regular tune-ups and maintenance work done.

That is all.