It’s the late 1950s, happiness is still common and the number of cars has skyrocketed. Unfortunately, the latter has also led to a significant increase in the number of road casualties. According to the government, measures are urgently needed. More traffic expert officers and a more efficient working method are needed to improve supervision. Well, more efficient methods, they have been around for quite some time. Police chief Lieutenant Kees Vogel in Stuttgart may order one Porsche for a test. In November 1960, together with a colleague at Porsche in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, he took delivery of the first Porsche 356 B Cabriolet for the national police for 17,600 guilders. In retrospect, however, that was undoubtedly a good investment. When the Minister of Justice gives the green light at the end of 1962 and the Special Traffic Tasks Section becomes official, Vogel immediately orders twelve extra convertibles for his best friends. These are the early years of a service that is later renamed Surveillance Auto Motorways (SAS), also known as the Porsche Group.
The SAS is introducing a completely new method for the supervision of the motorways. The motto is to attract attention and educate the speeding honest citizens crooks. Both the Porsche’s and the occupants with their white outfits and “half helmets” attract attention. But there is another reason why the Traffic Police choose Porsche: the cars radiate power, solidity and reliability. These properties come in handy in “overtaking surveillance”, a way of working that was already used in the West German North Rhine-Westphalia. By driving about 20 kilometers faster than the rest of the traffic, the police seem to be everywhere. So a lot of red and white on the street. The open Porsche’s are also ideal because you can stand upright in them. For example, the mustaches can admonish other road users in traffic jams, or give well-meant advice. They can literally smell danger from the moving car.
Among the happy flat caps that Porsche are allowed to drive, an open hood is a “sacred must” in all weather conditions. If you are caught with the roof up or the Raybans off , you will be reprimanded by your commander.
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