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This 1956 Pontiac Chieftain Replica Police Unit features a Strato Streak 317 cid V8 engine with a 2 bbl carb.<\/p><\/div>\n

Come support a good cause, and while you\u2019re here check out the PD Oldie! This 1956 Pontiac Chieftain Replica Patrol Car was purchased by the Pomona Police Officers\u2019 Association about twenty years ago. The numbers 27 and\u00a0104 on the vehicle are in memory of two Pomona Police Officers who were killed in the line of duty. #27 is for Officer Danny Fraembs, and #104 is for Officer Shawn Diamond. These Officers loved children, were loved by children, and children of all ages love the PD Oldie. The PD Oldie is dedicated to their memory.<\/span><\/p>\n

When the idea of restoring a car to replicate a Pomona patrol car from the 50s was first floated, Officer Ken Serpan (Pomona Police Department, Retired) volunteered to make it happen. Here is Officer Serpan’s account:<\/span><\/p>\n

“I knew that the City used Pontiacs in the 50s, then Fords and Dodges. I went about finding a 1955 Pontiac four door sedan but had no luck. I finally found this 1956 Chieftain in Upland, California. It was being offered for sale by a young man who had recently come to California to attend school. He found the car half buried in a field in his home state of Montana. It had been there for many years, but it was in amazing condition. He bought it, got it running, and drove it to Upland. When he got here, he realized he needed something more practical and able to do battle with California drivers and traffic so he put the car up for sale hoping a car enthusiast would buy it. He was thrilled when I told him what the Police Association wanted to do with the car. I told the Association board about it and they authorized me to buy it.<\/span><\/p>\n

I spent the next several months restoring the car and installing the various pieces of police equipment. Some of the equipment wasn\u2019t period correct at the time, but I did the best I could to find things as close as possible. One thing I was most proud of was the red beacon light on the top. A Lieutenant with the Department had rescued it from being thrown away. It was an actual light that had been used on a Pomona patrol car in the 50s. It was in bad shape, but I cleaned it up, re-chromed it, and got it working. In speaking with people who are historians of police vehicles and equipment, they’ve told me that they recognized the name of the manufacturer of the light but had never seen one. It is believed that this light is unique to the Pomona Police Department in its use. Since the debut of the car, many pieces of equipment that are period correct have been found by other members of the Department and used to replace the items that were not period correct. While this particular car never saw service as a police vehicle, it is about as perfect a replica as I think is possible.”<\/span><\/p>\n

We’d like to thank all of the men and women of the Pomona Police Department for their service, and for their dedication to our community!<\/span><\/p>\n

Can\u2019t make it to Pomona on August 12th? Click here for a list of\u00a0<\/span>participating agencies and contact information<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0for\u00a0how to purchase Pink Patch items directly from them.<\/span><\/p>\n