NS stood for state aircraft which covered federal, state and municipal aircraft. The NYPD showed some humour in buying NS370N for the Keystone Cops were a band of bumbling police officers from American silent movies. The term became part of the English language for any incompetent group, police or otherwise. NS370N was cancelled in 1935. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

New York City's flying police squad was 'for patrolling the water front' but also 'to curb low flying over the metropolitan area' and 'to prevent airplanes from flying over congested areas'! Their brand new K-84 Commuter amphibian is seen at the old Loening factory at 31st Street at East River, Manhattan, closed later in 1929 following the merger with Keystone. Some of the New Yorkers in the staff, including Leroy Grumman, did not feel like moving to Bristol, Pennsylvania and started their own business on Long Island.

Served with the NYCPD until March 1945, one of two SR-10Ks acquired. The other operated as a landplane. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution