A co-worker of mine’s father was a New Mexico State Policeman in the 30’s (he’d been a bar tender, but disliked drunks, joined the force and turned in all the bootlegger suppliers he knew). He covered about 1500 square miles on 30’s New Mexico roads on a Harley, and was issued a Winchester 1895 carbine in .30-06 and a S&W M&P .38.
Lawmen like this were common in NM up to the 70’s. Tomas Herrera was a Bernallilo County Deputy from 1943 to 1973. His duty area was from about where I-25 would be to the eastern line of BC, a couple miles east of me. He was the only Deputy... and nobody messed with him.
Can you imagine the sweep of the standing orders, and the crazy situations those guys had to face without a faint prayer of a backup!
But imagine the freedom of the roads on a bike in those days, no cameras, no trackers, no nothing. Just you, the machine, the road, and the job.