View early law-enforcement devices such as the Stoelting Utrascribe lie detector, the 1954 Electro-matic Radar Speed Meter Transceiver and an illegal Super Fox "fuzz buster" radar detector at the Ontario Provincial Police Museum.
The expanding collection housed at the general headquarters in Orillia, includes Car 1, a replica of its first patrol car - a 1941 Chevrolet Master Deluxe Coupe.
There's also Car 7-500, a 1989 Chevrolet Caprice, the last year with the traditional black-and-white colour scheme re-introduced in 2007 under Commissioner Julian Fantino.
The OPP's earliest known vehicle, a 1931 Henderson motorcycle ridden by Constable Jack Hinchliffe, is on display along with a 1977 Harley Davidson.
The force marked its 100th year of policing last October and the museum has extended its exhibition "Frontiers: A Century of Policing" until March 31.
It highlights key moments in OPP history, both early and recent, through a selection of compelling images, artifacts and personal stories to mark the century of policing.
The OPP was formed as a "direct response to the province's need to deal with increased lawlessness - an inherent part of frontier development," the exhibit says.
Travelling around Ontario is an exhibition called "Arresting Images" where you can learn about pickpocket "Sly Joe (Collins)," Rebecca Shanley arrested for elopement and bunco artist "Grand Central Pete (Lake).
"This late 19th-and early 20th-century collection of 474 police identification photos is tremendously significant both in historical and human terms," said Jeanie Tummon, exhibition curator.
The exhibition is at the Wellington County Museum in Fergus until April 5 and moves to Museum London from June 5 to Sept. 12.
At the museum, there's an expansion of the popular "dress-up" area, said Ellen Blaubergs, acting collections coordinator.
"In addition to trying on old uniforms and duty belts, we have also created wooden cutouts featuring some of the earliest OPP uniforms and one of the OPP's early mascots, Trevor the Safety Bug," she said.
There's also the popular interactive forensics exhibit while visitors can compare and contrast the equipment used by early officers with those of today.
Check out the life-size model of Beatle Paul McCartney in military uniform with an OPP shoulder flash as seen on the inside cover of the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album.
The uniforms, photographs and stories of several early and more contemporary officers are also featured.
These include William Stringer, who was OPP Commissioner during the Second World War years, and Pat Bromley, one of the first female officers hired in 1974.
There are also displays marking this year's 50th anniversaries of the OPP Auxiliary and OPP Veterans Association.
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The history of policing in the "big city" is represented at the Toronto Police Museum and Discovery Centre.
Visitors learn such things as Toronto was the first police force in North America to put officers on bicycles.
Back in 1975, it was also a rule that police officers couldn't marry without getting the approval of the board of commissioners.
The museum is in the atrium of the Toronto police headquarters building and "reflects the rich tradition and history of policing."
Created from private donations, the exhibits "offer a vibrant blend of the new and old, with interesting interactive displays dedicated to expanding the community's understanding of policing in Toronto."
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Planning a trip out west? Then check out the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Heritage Centre in Regina.
Opened in 2007, the centre is on the grounds of the RCMP Academy where cadets are trained and the story begins with the creation of the original North-West Mounted Police in 1873.
It tells how the Mounties have been an integral part of Canada's historical and cultural landscape while playing a significant role in creating the Canadian identity.
There are "state-of-the-art exhibits, multimedia technologies and engaging programming and tours."
The current exhibition is about the RCMP's role in deploying officers for UN peacekeeping missions.
Jim Fox is a freelance writer based in Kitchener. He can be reached at onetanktrips@netscape.net
IF YOU GO
The OPP Museum (777 Memorial Ave., Orillia) is open year-round Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (except statutory holidays). Admission is free. www.opp.ca/museum; E-mail: opp.museum@ontario.ca; (705) 329-6889.
The Toronto Police Museum and Discovery Centre (40 College St.) is open year-round Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free (call before visiting) and a "charitable donation of $1 per person" is suggested. www.torontopolice.on.ca/museum; (416) 808-7020.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Heritage Centre (5907 Dewdney Ave., Regina) charges $12 for admission ($10, seniors and ag es 13 to 17; $6, six to 12; and $3, three to five). Current hours through May 22 are Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. www.rcmpheritagecentre.com; 1-866-567-7267.
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