RETRO: Panda patrol comes to Boston in 1968 as policing re-jigged to create 'village bobbies'
A new approach to policing had been adopted in Boston 55 years ago.
Under the unit beat policing scheme, Boston had been divided into three sectors, with two policemen living in each sector on a ‘village bobby’ basis.
Helping them out would be four new ‘panda’ police cars (so-named because of their distinctive white band).
The vehicles would be manned 24 hours a day by a team of nine constables and equipped with radios, first aid gear and road signs.