Edmonton Police Service logo

Commitment to Professionalism - Reduced Crime & Victimization - Investigative Excellence - Increased Efficiency & Effectiveness
Copyright © 2025, Edmonton Police Service. All rights reserved.

Edmonton Police Service

Dedicated to Protect, Proud to Serve

Big Yellow Police Car

27-Jun-2016

'Crushed a second time'

For about 37 years Car 920 of the Edmonton City Police Department (ECPD) defied the elements and held its ground. It was laid down, post-auction, in a field with the hope of being dispatched for parts. It seems the call never came.

You don’t have to be a collision reconstructionist to tell the 1973 Chevrolet Chevelle had been t-boned – but where and at what point were mysteries. Judging by the big ECPD decals on the doors, it was damaged before Gretzky was a household name, before ‘Black Friday’ and well before cell phones. 

The guy who seemed to know a fair bit about it was Reg, who ran the auto salvage for 59 years. He had his theories.

"It’s a dog car, because there's no rear seats; it’s all carpet back there," says Reg. "I always knew the police vehicles as they had a v-shaped zipper in the roof liner to wire the lights. I’ve had a lot of police vehicles come through over the years."

With door decals and the cage between the front and rear seats still intact, a dreamer may have said it was salvageable. That inner voice suggests we get a high school automotive class to return it to its past glory and maybe the Foundation could pay for its restoration. Then the practical voice interjects… nah, get a running one out of Arizona and besides we already have a yellow car in the EPS historical fleet.

Case closed. The images were then forwarded to our Veteran’s Association (EPSVA) so the alumni could reminisce about the all-yellow cars.

On June 8th retired detective, and former Canine handler, Jim Litke emailed the EPSVA “…I was broadsided on the passenger side of 920 and briefly knocked-out. When I woke up, I was sitting on the passenger’s side, going down the wrong side of the street and heading for a wooden power pole. I was able to get the car stopped by stretching out my left leg and applying the brakes… Do you know where the car is, or is that an old picture? I would love to see it for old time’s sake.”

Jim was eager to see 920 once more. We agreed to head out there and perhaps snap a photo of him leaning against the side, arms folded. The reunion was to be magical. 

Five days later Jim pulled up to the main gate just as a four-by-eight Remax "FOR SALE" sign was being installed. The sign guy said someone locked the gate about 25 minutes ago and drove away.

Jim was literally standing at the locked gates of opportunity, scanning the property, wanting to act now – he was this close. The trophy hunter then gasped, "Look down there along the tree line, something’s moving.” We could see a figure in blue coveralls sauntering toward us. It was 77-year-old Reg. As he got within a quarter of a mile he used a hand gesture like a baseball umpire confirming the player was safe: both of his hands extended low and outward. Did it mean they were closed? Was he angry? 

“She’s gone boys. It was crushed last week,” Reg said with a heavy heart. “I’m shuttin’ her down, getting too old for this. I had a car crusher here six days ago.”

Jim would have seriously considered buying the car that day and Reg finally had the buyer he had been waiting for. After 37 years both of them were six days short of walking away satisfied. Joni Mitchell may have penned it best in Big Yellow Taxi… “You don't know what you got 'til it's gone”.