Ferndale Michigan Police Hawthorne Bike?

[1918 Ranger]

This is one of my first finds a couple years ago. Its a prewar Hawthorne tank bike, and it received a new paint job in its recent years prior to my aquisition. New Departure hub, skip tooth, horn in working order. But the most interesting aspect is the tag on the carrier rack. It has been riveted on and it says "7147 Bicycle Police Department, Ferndale Michigan"

I had made calls to try to find out if this could have been part of the police department in sometimes past. I called Ferndale PD and asked around. I was told that it could very well had been associated with the department in the 40s, or 50s.

Does anyone know anything concrete on this??

 

[Wildcat]

It may be a standard registration plate, they just added the word "police" on it. If so, they have records of the numbers issued, probably on an old ledger in the back of the office.

Or it may have been used by the police dept for parking enforcement or errand running. Either way, they issued that number and it may be written down somewhere.

 

[2manybikes]

Our local police department issued registration plates for bikes when I was a kid. Same sort of a plate as the one on your bike.

 

[sleepy]

Our local police department issued registration plates for bikes when I was a kid. Same sort of a plate as the one on your bike.

Same here....I had a similar plate when my parents registered my bike with the local Detroit PD precinct house way back in the day.

Beautiful bike, BTW.