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MOTORCYCLE POLICE NEWS.
Police Officers in the News - July
Here is the article archive of headlines that have appeared in newspapers around the United States which relate to police motorcycle officers.


7/1/2005
Man drives onto Sky Harbor airport, disrupts flights - Phoenix, AZ
A man allegedly driving a stolen pickup crashed through security gates and drove onto one of the runways at Sky Harbor airport in Phoenix this morning.

The incident temporarily halted flights in and out of the airport.

The pursuit ended when the man crashed through another fence and was rammed at that time by two police cars. After police surrounded the pickup, officers got the man out of the pickup and took him into custody.

Just before the pursuit ended, a police motorcycle officer was knocked off his bike....     Read the full story.

7/2/2005
Charges dismissed over officer's fatal cycle crash - Hayward, CA
Alameda County prosecutors have dismissed a felony hit-and-run charge against a trucker arrested in the freeway death of an off-duty Oakland police officer killed while riding home to Pleasanton on his department-issued motorcycle in July 2004.

Deputy district attorney Stuart Hing filed the dismissal papers at the Hayward Hall of Justice on Monday.

"After reviewing this case and speaking with the Oakland Police Department and the family of the victim, we ask that this case be dismissed due to insufficient evidence and in the interests of justice," the motion states....     Read the full story.

7/2/2005
Cycling helps officer's rehab - Avondale, AZ
Ray Harris, an Avondale police officer, has become a pretty good cyclist.

He took third in a statewide competition for law-enforcement officers and firefighters and competed well in Tucson and Phoenix events.

You'd never know that an on-duty accident one year ago had crushed part of his right leg below the knee.

The accident happened in June 2004 while Harris was riding his department motorcycle south on Dysart Road. He was cut off by a vehicle turning left and was forced to take evasive action. His leg was severely broken when it slammed into the concrete.

"It happened instantly," Harris, 32, said. "If I hadn't moved out of the way, it (the car) would have center-punched me."...     Read the full story.

7/2/2005
3 arrested on suspicion of burglary - Newport Beach, CA
...The men jumped of a second-floor balcony and were picked up by a waiting car, police said. The car's driver matched the description of the woman in the Onda Street incident, McDermott said.

A motorcycle officer pulled the car over as it headed out of town and arrested three people on suspicion of residential burglary....     Read the full story.

7/2/2005
Police cars getting upgrades - Bethlehem, PA
City police cars and a new off-road police motorcycle will sport a fresh look this month to highlight the department's technology upgrades.

Police chose a new design featuring a small Moravian star and the word "police" spread across the hood to replace a blue, horizontal stripe pattern on the patrol cars.

Police cast about 120 votes as they chose the new design, Deputy Commissioner Randall Miller said....     Read the full story.

7/2/2005
Troopers ready for 4th - Exeter, NH
The New Hampshire State Police plan an expanded force and a greater presence on Seacoast-area roadways during the Fourth of July weekend. However, other police departments in the News-Letter area are not taking any special precautions, but will rely on past experience and residents’ common sense, according to officers.

All available units from state police Troop A in Epping will be on the road this weekend, Capt. Allen Welch, a spokesman for the department, said.

"The motorcycle units will be rested up after motorcycle weekend, and they’ll all be back in action." ...     Read the full story.

7/2/2005
Two of three Camden boys laid to rest - Camden, NJ
...A police motorcycle escort led a funeral cortege, with three hearses and more than 100 vehicles, from the downtown church to the Parkside cemetery.

Many of the cars had memorial messages daubed on their windows.

Aracelis Velazquez, a mother of four from North Camden, came to the burial even though she did not know the boys.

"I've got kids, too," she explained.

The deaths touched off an outpouring of support from city residents, with an estimated 5,000 people attending a visitation for the boys on Wednesday night....     Read the full story.

7/3/2005
Judge dismisses charges against trucker in officer's death - Hayward, CA
A judge has dismissed a felony hit-and-run charge against a trucker arrested in the death of an off-duty Oakland police officer last year.

Carlos Morales Mares, 39, of Modesto, had been charged in the July 22, 2004, death of Oakland police officer Will Seuis....     Read the full story.

7/6/2005
Motorcycle police unit to make debut in spring - Village of Pewaukee, WI
Police will implement a motorcycle patrol unit starting next spring after the Village Board gave its unanimous approval.

The program will cost about $6,000 in its first year and from $1,000 to $2,000 every year thereafter. Much of the expense will be for training and for leasing a motorcycle from Harley-Davidson Inc.

Village Administrator Scott Gosse cited benefits of the change, which included:

Improved community relations.
Allowing officers to appear less threatening than they do in a squad car.
Fuel efficiency.

The Police Department does not plan to sell any of its four squad cars or one unmarked police car, and police Capt. Tim Otto said the motorcycle patrol unit will not replace the existing bicycle patrol unit.     Read the full story.

7/6/2005
Parolee arrested after chase ends in crash - Downey, CA
...A motorcycle officer had tried to stop the man for speeding a couple of blocks south of the collision site, but he kept going, Channel 7 reported.

Downey police Lt. Jim Heckel said speeds "reached in excess of 80 miles an hour ...'

"When he arrived here at the intersection of Stewart and Gray Road, he went through a mid-phase red light at about 80 miles an hour and struck the (Chevy) Suburban that was in the intersection, first, and then ... struck another four cars that were in the area,' Heckel told Channel 7....     Read the full story.

7/7/2005
Special Olympics continues to grow: Summer Games attract almost 2,000 athletes - Cambridge, MA
... "If you put a quality product on the field, the people will come," said Bob Johnson, Special Olympics of Massachusetts President and CEO who has been involved in Special Olympics for 16 years. "We try to focus on quality not quantity."

The weekend kicked off Friday night at BU with the opening ceremonies. After a parade welcomed all of the athletes into the college's Walter Brown Arena, Burlington's Bevin Vigneau sang the national anthem. The dance team, Legacy Dance Company, then performed before a police motorcycle escort accompanied the running of the Olympic torch....     Read the full story.

7/7/2005
2 charged in assault on cop - St. Paul, MN
Two St. Paul men have been charged with third-degree assault and first-degree burglary for their suspected involvement in the beating of a St. Paul police officer who caught one of them stealing something from his East Side home.

Officer Armando Abla-Reyes, a 10-year veteran of the force who works in the motorcycle unit, was at the computer in his Nebraska Avenue home late on the night of June 5 when he heard a noise and saw a man carrying an unidentified object from his home, according to the complaints the Ramsey County attorney's office filed against Aaron James Syring, 28, and Joseph Michael Perez, 27....     Read the full story.

7/8/2005
Woman violated probation by driving her children to school - West Palm Beach, FL
A woman who was forbidden from driving after pleading guilty in the death of a motorcycle officer was sentenced to more than seven years in prison for violating her probation.

To avoid jail time, Sonia Ortiz, 25, accepted a plea deal in August for her involvement in a fatal 2003 crash with West Palm Beach Police Officer Thomas Morash.

Ortiz, who did not have a license, pulled out in front of officer, causing the collision, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report. She was charged with driving without a valid driver's license causing death....     Read the full story.

7/8/2005
Bicyclist, 21, injured in SUV hit-and-run - Lewes, DE
..."We're getting an influx of foreign students in the summer, and that's their primary mode of transportation," Oldham said. "We've had some serious crashes."

Troopers, comprised of school resource officers, Troop 7 administrative patrols and the state police motorcycle unit, will provide strict enforcement by distributing educational materials to cyclists explaining the rules of the road.

Troopers will also distribute bicycle lights and helmets to cyclists found to be riding without the safety devices....     Read the full story.

7/9/2005
Task force says word getting out: DUI sweep of drivers bound for Blossom nets only 3 arrests - Cuyahoga Falls, OH
...Previous saturation patrols around the Cuyahoga Falls concert venue apparently got the attention of the people heading to see country-music performers Toby Keith and Lee Ann Womack.

By showtime, police had made only three arrests. Two were for underage drinking. The third took place on state Route 8, where a motorcycle officer was able to catch up with a motorcyclist who allegedly was performing a stunt at 100 mph....     Read the full story.

7/9/2005
The motorcycle beat: Police find new way stay in touch with people - DeKalb, IL
The DeKalb Police Department is still revved up a year after getting its Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

The motorcycle, a 2005 Electra Glide, has become another tool to fighting crime and keeping the peace in DeKalb, said Sgt. James McDougall, one of two men trained to ride it.

"We were looking for more ways to get in the public, to be more visible," he said. "And its worked well. People come up and start talking about the motorcycle and then policing."

The motorcycle can go where cars can't, such as around traffic at accident scenes, he said. It also serves well as an escort for parade and funeral processions.

The department views the motorcycle as a morale booster because "there's something about a motorcycle, about a Harley-Davidson," McDougall said. "It's another tool for officers; it's another alternative to the normal patrol."...     Read the full story.

7/11/2005
Garland officer presence on LBJ remains thin - Garland, TX
Ever since a Garland officer was killed by a motorist, the section of LBJ Freeway that runs through Garland hasn't seen much of a police concentration. The speed limit is 60-mph, but many people who drive on the freeway know that there are those who don't acknowledge the limit.

"Everybody drives maybe 70, 75," said one driver.

Police don't regularly go after speeders because of the 1998 accident. Ronnie Lerma, a police motorcycle officer, died when a motorist hit and killed him after he pulled over a driver for speeding on the freeway.

After that, some officers felt going after speeders was just too risky.

"Once we got to looking at it, and officers started telling us how many near misses they had been through, the chief at that time just didn't think it was worth it," said Garland Officer Joe Harn....     Read the full story.

7/12/2005
Four Special Weapons and Tactics team members were the first Easton policemen to testify before a state grand jury investigating the shooting death of Officer Jesse Sollman in March - Easton, PA
...Sgt. John Remaly and motorcycle officer Timothy Lambert said they would not discuss specifics of their testimony Monday, but said they were asked about what happened on March 25. Lt. Scott Casterline and K-9 officer Brian T. Herncane also testified.

The session ended about 5 p.m., before Dominick Marraccini, president of the Easton FOP lodge, appeared, and he is scheduled to testify Wednesday. Officers David Beitler, Robert C. Weber and Matthew Gerould also have been subpoenaed.

Sollman, 36, was the first city officer killed in the line of duty in 75 years.     Read the full story.

7/12/2005
2 Tacoma Motorcycle Officers Injured In Crash - Tacoma, WA
Two Tacoma motorcycle officers crashed their bikes while trying to pull over a speeding driver.

They were following a white Honda Monday night near 84th and Hosmer, when the driver made a quick left turn to get away.

It looks as if one officer followed with a hard left and ran into the other officer. Both motorcycles went down....     Read the full story.

7/13/2005
Traffic Court - Colorado Springs, CO
Mistie Wesselink was doing 19 over the 40-mph speed limit on North Academy Boulevard when a motorcycle cop with a radar gun clocked her. Six weeks later, she sat in Colorado Springs Municipal Court on a hard wooden pew with more than 100 others who’d been issued traffic citations.

Wesselink’s pink T-shirt read, “I get what I want because I can.” In this case, she got a $190 fine plus $25 for other costs and a four-point penalty against her driving record.

The penalty would have been six points, but it was reduced as part of a plea deal worked out on the spot.

Wesselink, 38, who recently moved to town, learned the hard way that speeding in Colorado Springs isn’t cheap. She also found that it pays to go to traffic court instead of handling the ticket by mail....     Read the full story.

7/14/2005
Cops on bikes 'not CHiPs' - Tinley Park, IL
I've done just about every challenging thing in the police department," Tinley Park police officer Tony Campbell said this week. "But this motorcycle school was the hardest thing I've ever done," he added.

The Tinley Park Police Department's new motorcycle program has proven successful — though a bit challenging — after one year on the streets.

"Working a bike and riding a bike are completely opposite," Campbell said. "It's not the 'CHiPs' TV show, by any means."

Four officers — Tony Campbell, Mark Fabiszak, Michael O'Hern and Anthony Trinidad — attended a two-week school last July to train for the program. They have spent much of the past year on the bikes.

Each rides one of two motorcycles while patrolling alone. The two motorcycles are in use at almost all times....     Read the full story.

7/14/2005
Limerick Township discontinues cycle program - Limerick Township, PA
Two Harley Davidson Road King motorcycles that Limerick was leasing have been returned, because the township did not have qualified officers to ride them.

"The lease was up and we did not have any use for them," said Township Manager Walter Zaremba. "We were not allowed to keep them. I don't have any qualified riders."

Two years ago, the township received a $30,000 grant from a private group of anonymous Pennsylvania residents who approached the township and wanted to make a contribution, stipulating that the money was to be used for something unique.

"I am ambivalent about returning the bikes," said Limerick Township police Chief William Albany. "For much of my time here we couldn't use them due to low staffing and then cold weather. The one officer who was certified to ride them resigned in February, and no one has ridden them since. The bikes are good in certain instances but they can't carry a lot on them. They have their place but it is very specific. It was my recommendation to the township manager that we return them."

Officer Nick Kruczaj was riding the motorcycles prior to his recent departure from the Limerick police force. The township did purchase extras for the motorcycles such as three sets of clothing, boots and helmets for two officers and former police Chief Douglas Weaver, saddle bags, tempers and other parts.

"We are trying to resell the extras that we had on the bikes," said Zaremba. "We have an offer on them from another township so we are taking bids."

In a January 2004 Reporter/Valley Item article, former Supervisor Joseph Greco said that he felt the department and township would benefit from the increased visibility the officers on motorcycle patrol would create.

"From a public relations standpoint, it's about as close to an officer as you can get on a beat these days," Greco said. "An officer on a cycle is more in touch and in tune with the public."...     Read the full story.

7/15/2005
Trip To MAC Machine Turns Deadly - Crafton, PA
Police said John Trojan, 40, pulled up to the Citizens Bank in the Crafton Shopping Plaza and parked in the fire lane to use the MAC machine.

Trojan left his 3-month-old son, Matthew, in the back seat of his car.

As he was at the MAC machine, a police officer on a motorcycle went to ticket him for being parked in the fire lane.

The officer first told Trojan to take his 3-month-old baby out of the car. He then asked Trojan for I.D. Trojan then went to his car, took his baby out of the car and grabbed his gun.     Read the full story.

7/21/2005
Man who stole cop's helmet gets 180 days - San Diego, CA
A man who admitted stealing a San Diego police officer's motorcycle helmet during the October 2003 wildfires has been sentenced to 180 days in custody and placed on probation for three years.

Jack Robert Minitch, 23, pleaded guilty June 1 to a grand theft/looting charge in connection with the incident. Minitch was visiting from Cleveland during the fires, but has recently been living with his brother in Pacific Beach....     Read the full story.

7/21/2005
CHP might be hot on your heels: Officers putting in extra time to nab reckless drivers - San Francisco, CA
Traffic tickets were flying faster than traffic in the Bay Area on Wednesday, and truck driver Jose Maravilla got himself one.

"Not my day,'' he moped, standing on the shoulder of Interstate 580 in Richmond and awaiting his precious slip of yellow paper.

The fate of Maravilla, who had been hauling a load of broken-up concrete to the dump, was sealed when a small bit of the stuff flew off the back of his trash truck and bonked the shoulder of California Highway Patrol Officer Jason Salizzoni, who was immediately behind on his motorcycle.

It's never a good idea to hit a cop, but it's even worse these days now that the Highway Patrol has latched onto a $1.7 million federal grant and is setting loose a posse of extra officers to crack down on reckless truck drivers and motorists....     Read the full story.

7/21/2005
Paltz cops check out big Harley - New Paltz, NY
As gas prices creep to record heights, the New Paltz Police Department is experimenting with a low-cost, high-profile vehicle that may be in the department's future: a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The fully-equipped police motorcycle has been on loan to the department since the end of June from Woodstock Harley-Davidson and will be returned on Aug. 12.

"It's part of a demonstration program," the department's Lt. Joe Snyder said. "We get about 50 miles per gallon on the motorcycle as opposed to 10 to 14 on the patrol cars. We can get through traffic easier and use it for our STEP details."

STEP refers to the Selective Traffic Enforcement Patrols the department uses in high accident or problem areas.

"It's been a better vehicle to use. Very productive," Snyder said. "So far we've found that it has been beneficial and gives savings on mileage and is efficient for quick response to scenes."

Eight officers will use the motorcycle during the demonstration period. Even Snyder, who rides motorcycles in his free time, will sometimes take the demonstration bike if it's available. "It's great on a sunny day," Snyder admitted....     Read the full story.

7/21/2005
Arcadia police officer involved in accident - Arcadia, CA
An Arcadia Police Department motorcycle officer suffered moderate injuries Wednesday in a collision with another vehicle as the officer responded to a domestic violence call.

Officer Michael Hale was taken to a local hospital following the 7:30 a.m. accident at the intersection of Second Avenue and Camino Real Drive.

Hale was answering a call in the 1400 Block of Linda Way when he was involved in a collision with a vehicle driven by Deborah Stigall, 53, of Altadena, police said.

Arcadia police said Stigall appeared to be uninjured, but was taken to the hospital for evaluation. The collision is under investigation by the department's Major Accident Investigation Team.     Read the full story.

7/21/2005
Truck Collides With Motorcycle Officer - Portland, OR
A Portland motorcycle officer who collided with a truck Thursday morning was not seriously injured. Officer Cari Phebus was responding to a pedestrian collision about 9 a.m.

She was northbound on Southeast Grand Avenue with her emergency lights and siren on. She was crossing against a red light at Madison Street when a westbound truck hit her.

Phebus, 40 years old and a 13-year veteran of the Portland Police Bureau, suffered bumps and bruises and was taken to Legacy Emanuel Hospital for observation....     Read the full story.

7/22/2005
Police Motorcycle Survey on Motorcops.com - Dallas, TX
Motorcops.com announces the first survey in 10 years about Police Motorcycle Units. Although police motorcycles are one of the most visible units of any department, very little information has ever been gathered on a national level. This comprehensive survey will collect data in six categories....     Read the full story.

7/22/2005
Trooper dies after crashing motorcycle - Boston, MA
A veteran state trooper died last night after a motorcycle accident in the Ted Williams Tunnel, authorities said.

Cila's arm was severed in the crash, and he died as a result of severe blood loss, said several state troopers who did not want to be identified. Cila died at Boston Medical Center after the crash at 4:35 p.m., State Police said.

It was unclear what caused Cila to lose control of the motorcycle, but State Police said no other vehicles were involved. Another trooper was riding behind Cila at the time, but was not involved in the accident. State Police did not say how fast Cila was going, only that he was traveling at a low speed in the tunnel, where the speed limit is 40 miles per hour.

Shaken troopers and Cila's relatives descended on Boston Medical Center, where State Police Lieutenant Sharon Costine said Cila ''had a big heart."

"There are a lot of heartbroken people today," she said.

A 22-year veteran of the force and the father of two children, Cila had worked at the barracks at Logan International Airport since 2001, State Police said. Before that, he was assigned for many years to the Andover and Medford barracks, which meant he often had to bear the bad news of fatal crashes, drownings, and other misfortunes to surviving family and the media. Last night, the grief was for Cila....     Read the full story.

7/22/2005
Motorcycle Deputy Injured In Crash - Miami, FL
A Broward Sheriff's Office motorcycle deputy, who was recognized as a hero two years ago, was injured Friday morning when he was involved in an accident.

Deputy Donnie Jackson, 37, was riding northbound on the Florida Turnpike near the Interstate 75 crossover when he lost control of his motorcycle. At the time he said he was in pursuit of an erratic driver. Early in the day BSO had said another vehicle may have been involved in the accident and might have hit Jackson, but later officials said that was not the case....     Read the full story.

7/22/2005
State Trooper on motorcycle injured - Boston, MA
A state trooper riding a motorcycle has been injured in a highway accident this afternoon.

Details are sketchy -- but a state police spokeswoman says the trooper was hurt when his motorcycle crashed on a ramp that connects Interstate 90 to Interstate 93 in Boston around 4:30.

The injured officer was taken to the hospital....     Read the full story.

7/23/2005
State motorcycle trooper killed in Ted Tunnel crash - Boston, MA
A state police motorcycle trooper was killed alongside a fellow trooper yesterday when his bike crashed in the Ted Williams Tunnel, state police said.

Vincent Cila, 45, a Malden father of two, was on duty at the time riding back to the Logan International Airport barracks with another motorcycle trooper when the accident happened.

``He had a big heart and if you knew him it was, `Hey, Vinny how are ya?' '' Lt. Sharon Costine said.

State police Col. Thomas G. Robbins said Cila was a 22-year veteran of the force.

``On behalf of . . . the Massachusetts State Police, we extend our deepest sympathies to Trooper Cila's family,'' he said.

Cila, who was assigned to Logan International Airport in September 2001, was taken to Boston Medical Center following the crash, where he was pronounced dead....     Read the full story.

7/23/2005
Police describe incident - Casa Grande, AZ
A patrol car arriving in the 300 block of East Third Street, near downtown, was struck by pellets, which caused a tire to blow.

Motorcycle Officer Bret Christopherson reported that he found himself under fire, and he slid his moving cycle down on the street so he could get behind it in a defensive position.

No police officers were injured in the two-plus-hour incident that ended when a 23-year-old Casa Grande man died of multiple gunshot wounds about 12:50 a.m. Thursday at Burgess and Ash avenues. He pointed a shotgun at SWAT team members before he was shot, Horn said....     Read the full story.

7/23/2005
Redlands officers competing in Police and Fire Games - Redlands, CA
Three Redlands officers are putting themselves to the test this week at the Western States Police and Fire Games in Tahoe.

Sgt. Shawn Ryan and Officer Kelvin Bryant, of the Multiple Enforcement Team, are looking to repeat past gold medal wins. Ryan took home gold for his bench press in the 2002 games in Anaheim. Bryant won two gold medals for body building in Sacramento two years ago.

Motor Officer Rodney Walters will compete in the 5k cross-country race, the cross-country mountain bike race and the triathlon this year.

This year marks the first time the competition, previously called the California Police and Fire Games, is open to active and retired police and fire personnel from California, Arizona, Hawaii, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington....     Read the full story.

7/24/2005
Motorcycle is at center of inquiry into a trooper's death - Boston, MA
An investigation into a motorcycle crash in the Ted Williams Tunnel on Friday that killed a veteran state trooper is focusing on mechanical failure as a potential cause, authorities said. The Harley-Davidson will be checked by an independent specialist.

Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley, said investigators do not believe that Trooper Vincent Cila had been taken ill before his State Police motorcycle veered into a tunnel wall at 4:35 p.m. on Friday.

State Police detectives assigned to Conley's office and troopers from the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, are now seeking to determine if there was a defect in the motorcycle that might have caused Cila to lose control.

"We will have the motorcycle thoroughly examined by an outside expert," Procopio said yesterday. ''We're looking at all possible causes, but based on the preliminary autopsy results, it does not appear that there was a medical incident that caused him to lose control. We will continue to do additional testing."

The autopsy found that Cila had died from "severe trauma," Procopio said. Several troopers and two law enforcement officials with knowledge of the details, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that one of Cila's arms had been severed and that he had suffered massive blood loss.

Cila, 45, of Wakefield, was traveling in front of another trooper driving a cruiser in the tunnel ramp from Interstate 90 West to Interstate 93 South, near D Street in South Boston, when Cila veered into a wall for no apparent reason, according to a State Police spokeswoman, Lieutenant Sharon Costine. Cila and the other trooper, whom officials declined to identify, were believed to have been at or below the 40 mile-per-hour speed limit....     Read the full story.

7/24/2005
Pals recall cop killed in wreck - Boston, MA
State Trooper Vincent Cila approached the rigors of the state police academy the same way he approached the dangers of police work: with an easygoing attitude and a sense of humor, according to a trooper who knew him.

Cila, 44, a married father of two from Malden, was killed Friday when he lost control of his state police motorcycle while riding through the Ted Williams Tunnel....     Read the full story.

7/25/2005
Special deal puts police on Harleys - Clear Lake, IA
There was a constant flow of motorcycle traffic through downtown Clear Lake Sunday afternoon.

One-by-one, the motorcycles, mostly Harley-Davidsons, pulled up to the four-way stop sign before roaring through.

At just before 3 p.m., a black and white motorcycle came to the intersection of Main Street and Third Street North. Officer Ryan Eskildsen of the Clear Lake Police Department had much in common with the rest of the riders.

But the extra lights on the motorcycle and the uniform he was wearing set him apart.

Clear Lake, like many other communities across North Iowa, is taking advantage of a Harley-Davidson program that allows police departments to lease a motorcycle.

Eskildsen, who noticed someone on the sidewalk across the way, made his way to the next intersection and promptly turned around, not even pulling his feet from the pegs.

"For maneuverability, you can't beat it," Eskildsen said. "And for public relations it's great. The public loves it. We get a lot of comments about it."

Clear Lake Police Chief Dan Jackson said the motorcycle is a good match with Clear Lake in the summer.

"It fits right in with the activities and tourism we have," he said. "And with the way the price of gasoline is right now, it could provide a tremendous budget savings."

Steve Minert, owner-manager of Harley-Davidson of Mason City Inc., said the Milwaukee-based motorcycle company has a program allowing law enforcement to lease a motorcycle for a year for $1.

"It's a police interceptor," he said. "They sign the lease and we equip it with a radio, emergency lights and sirens and we do all the maintenance. It's a great deal."

In addition to Clear Lake, Ventura and Mason City have taken advantage of the Harley-Davidson offer....     Read the full story.

7/25/2005
One more way to fight crime: WC Police Chief: New motorcycle is more efficient - Webster City, IA
Officers on the Webster City police force have another law enforcement tool at their disposal — a 2005 Harley Davidson Road King motorcycle.

The bike, which is being leased by the department from Silver Eagle Harley Davidson in Waterloo, has been in use in Webster City for about two weeks, and already the department has racked up 700 miles on it.

“This is not just for public relations or parades, it’s another tool to get the job done,” said Webster City Police Chief Mike McConnell. “We’re looking to put some miles on it.”

The one-year lease of the motorcycle will cost the city $850. It includes a 1,000-mile checkup and has no mileage limitations. Silver Eagle Harley Davidson installed a strobe light on the back of the bike and two flashing lights on the side.

The motorcycle also has several markings indicating it’s a police vehicle.

At the end of the lease, McConnell said he and city officials will review the program to see how much the motorcycle was used and whether it was a helpful tool. If they decide to continue another year, the department will trade this motorcycle in for a new one.

For now, though, McConnell said the officers are still working on getting licenses to drive the motorcycle. Six have completed the required training. In addition, the entire department took part in a training session and obstacle course.

“The key to success with the motorcycle is we’ve got to have a lot of officers using it,” McConnell said. “With gas prices being as high as they are, the motorcycle is cheaper and gets about 39 miles to the gallon. I’d rather have us put miles on the motorcycle than miles on a squad car.”...     Read the full story.

7/26/2005
Troopers Crash Into Each Other, Close Road - Orlando, FL
A pair of Florida Highway Patrol troopers on motorcycles were injured Tuesday when they crashed into each other while trying to control traffic in east Orange County, Fla., Local 6 News reported.

Officials said the two officers were at state roads 528 and 520 when one of the troopers hit some concrete debris in the road. The debris knocked the officer off his motorcycle and into the other trooper....     Read the full story.

7/27/2005
Tucson Police Department honors its finest - Tucson, AZ
Amidst cheers and applause, Gregory Perrin proudly stood and walked to center stage to accept the Scarlet Shield and the Medal of Merit.

He says he was fighting back tears when he saw the standing ovation.

"Today was very special, I think. I'm just going to cherish this the rest of my life. [This is] one of the proudest moments of my life for sure."

His 16 1/2 year career was cut short over a year ago when he became the victim of a hit-and-run accident. He was working traffic on his motorcycle.

Assistant Chief Sharon Allen says, "The sedan hit the left side of the motorcycle, trapping Officer Perrin's leg between the motorcycle frame and the grill of the sedan."

Officer Perrin has spent over 120 days in the hospital since the collision. He was forced to retire in May....     Read the full story.

7/27/2005
North Mountain Avenue neighbors insist slowing down: Rent-a-(real)-cop proposal pitched to reduce speeding - Montclair, NJ
“Chief [David] Sabagh and the top administration is really big into traffic enforcement. We find traffic enforcement is tied into crime prevention,” said the lieutenant, who cited the Police Department’s purchase of a laser speed-monitoring device and its use of patrol officers, two motorcycle officers and “undercover radar enforcement officers” targeting bad drivers. “We’re trying to be a little more covert,” De Smet said.     Read the full story.

7/31/2005
Police Officer Gets Hit by a Car - Cheyenne, WY
A Cheyenne motorcycle police officer is recovering after being struck by a Ford Escort.

Officer Tim Rumpf was riding a 2005 Harley Davidson police motorcycle to an accident on East 8th Avenue when a 17-year-old driver made a left turn in front of him....     Read the full story.



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