Police Harleys
Three motorcycle officers standing in front of the police station at 40 S. Alcaniz circa 1957. Their motorcycles are early 1960s-era Harley-Davidson Panheads. The officers are l-r: Hilbert Steele, James Motley and Oscar Caperton. Steele, father of second-generation retired PPD sergeant Rick Steele, was born in 1921 and retired in 1969. He died in 1992. Motley was born in 1915 and retired in 1967. He died in 2002. Caperton was born in 1909. He is first mentioned as an officer in 1945 and retired after 20 years. He died in 1970. Not only did all three men ride motorcycles together, but they all were later promoted to sergeant. Caperton even served as acting Captain for a short while. Police motorcycles, whether Harleys, Kawasakis, BMWs, or something else, have always been an integral and popular aspect of police departments. With their versatility through traffic, their speed, and their restrained use of gasoline, they serve a vital role in many departments. Plus, they are very popular with citizens, who enjoy seeing the flashy bikes and flashy riders on them…if they don’t crash.