I have written previously about the Nebraska State Patrol’s Fox Body Mustang, but the NSP also has this 1950 Ford in the lineup:
1950 was an important year in the annals of police car history because Ford introduced the first police package that included “heavy duty” parts like springs and shock absorbers, clutches, and interiors as well as “extra heavy duty” parts like generators and batteries:
The police car brochure included testimonials from various chiefs of police including Omaha’s own Chief Fred “Fritz” Franks:
Franks died in 1954 at the age of 67. According to his obituary, he immigrated to America from Danzig, Germany as an orphan and worked in Omaha’s Metz Brewery before joining the force in 1914. He was nicknamed the “Dutchman” and was a big, gruff man known for his granite jaw, good work ethic and thorough approach to detective work. In the letter above, Franks states that he was personally driving a new ’49 Ford. I hope he got to try out the ’50 Ford with the 255-ci 110-hp police-only engine. Franks once said, “You gotta be tougher and smarter than the dirty crooks, ” but it helps to be faster, too!
