A legacy revisited

Rumours were swirling at a recent Legacy Regional Lunch that there are a large number of historical photos on the hallway walls at Transport Branch. It was said that some of the photos were of police members on motorbikes, which piqued the interest of numerous Legatees whose husbands were members of the Solo Unit in the 1960s and 1970s.

Inquiries needed to be made and the matter resolved. So it was to the delight of the Legatees that members of the Transport Branch and Victoria Police Legacy (VPL) organised for them to visit the facility. ???

The tour guide for the day was Transport Branch’s Acting Senior Sergeant Josh Stolk. In heartwarming scenes,?the Legatees, along with VPL Ambassador Acting Inspector Dean Pickering, Sergeant Paramjot Singh, and Bob Raaymakers from VPL, scoured the hallways of the facility like super sleuths and located photos that brought back fond memories of the motorbikes and cars used in times gone by. To her surprise, Legatee Shirley McKenzie identified a squad mate of her late husband, Alistair McKenzie, on a motorbike in a photo.?

It was just like old times for Legatee Lynn Lighton, a former Transport Branch employee herself between 1965 to 1973, who paid a visit to the Motor Driving School where her husband John Lighton worked 15 years ago.?The driving instructors remembered her and her husband and were able to show her photos of him, and even located an old name tag which they gave to her.?

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The Legatees also got the opportunity to see a Mobile Police Unit where current technology was showcased.?While inside the unit, to their amazement, they were lucky enough to watch live Air Wing footage of an arrest of a male hiding in a wheelie bin by the Dog Squad.?

The visit continued with Senior Sergeant John Papas, officer in charge of the Solo Unit, showcasing the unit’s motorbikes. This was greatly appreciated considering the Legatees’ connection to the unit.?

The visit concluded with a light lunch provided by VPL.?

A/Supt Allen said it was incredibly special seeing the joy on the Legatees’ faces as they admired the old photos of people they knew.

“They were also amazed at how far technology and police capability has come from when they last saw their husbands on police motorbikes in the 60s and 70s,” A/Supt Allen said.

“It’s was definitely a day everyone involved will fondly remember.”