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MOTORCYCLE POLICE NEWS.
Here is the article archive of headlines that have appeared in newspapers around the United States which relate to police motorcycle officers. 07/03/06 80'S Hero Estrada Cashes in His CHIPS - Glasgow, Scotland, UK EIGHTIES heartthrob Erik Estrada is returning to CHiPs - to train his replacement in the movie version of the hit 1980s TV show. Estrada, now 57, became a household name through his portrayal of motorcycle cop Francis "Ponch" Poncherello during CHiPs' five-year run. Now it has emerged that the Latino actor has been brought in by Hollywood bosses to help out on the movie and train up new Ponch Wilmer Valderrama. Valderrama - astarof American TV comedy That '70s Show - said: "He's been teaching me all these motorcycle skills and things. "Erik loves the fact that I'm doing the movie. "He even came to the set of That '70s Show to say congratulations to me in person, and that meant a lot tome. "He said 'I could never imagine anybody else playing me but you'." CHiPs - which stands for California Highway Patrol - will begin filming later this summer with the movie set for release next year.... Read the full story. 07/04/06 Harley highway patrol - Peoria, IL It lacks the snappy resonance of "CHiPS," but then the new Illinois State Police Motorcycle Enforcement Bureau has no intentions of inspiring a hit television series. The motorcycle troopers do intend to be a versatile tool in maintaining traffic safety on Illinois interstates. Starting now. "Motorcycles come in handy in congested areas because of their ability to maneuver through traffic and get to a crash scene," said Master Sgt. Rick Hector, a spokesman for the department in Springfield. "A group on motorcycles can reach that call a lot easier than a group in squad cars." The unit has 42 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles with a plan to expand to 50. The bikes, specialized equipment and uniforms cost more than $500,000, money that came from the state Department of Transportation's Division of Traffic Safety. The 42 motorcycle troopers will be divided into six squads that will be deployed throughout the state, starting this week in Springfield and next week in Collinsville and Chicago. There are currently no plans for the motorcycles to patrol in the Peoria area. But some day they will, Hector said.... Read the full story. 07/04/06 Erik Estrada Mentors Wilmer Valderrama for 'Chips' Remake - Hollywood, CA Wilmer Valderrama is being coached on how to ride a motorcycle by former Chips star Erik Estrada as he prepares for his part in the upcoming big screen version of the TV classic. Estrada played Frank 'Ponch' Poncherello during the motorcycle cop show's five-year run between 1977 and 1982, and his character is now being brought back to life by Valderrama.... Read the full story. 07/05/06 Police officer hurt when motorcycle, car collide - Baton Rouge, LA A police officer was injured Tuesday afternoon when his motorcycle collided with a car, the Police Department reported. Sgt. Todd Weishar, 40, suffered moderate injuries when his westbound police motorcycle was hit by an eastbound Toyota Camry making a left turn in front of him at Florida and North 22nd Street, causing the collision at 1:30 p.m., the department said. Weishar, a 21-year veteran of the police force, was taken by EMS to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center for treatment.... Read the full story. 07/06/06 Man acquitted in CHP crash - Redlands, CA A jury acquitted a Redlands motorist Friday of a vehicular-manslaughter charge stemming from the June 2004 traffic death of a California Highway Patrol motorcycle officer. The not-guilty verdict clears 24-year-old Raymond Edward Hernandez of all criminal responsibility for the intersection collision that killed Officer James Goodman, who was pursuing a witness to an unrelated wreck near the Department of Motor Vehicles office in Redlands. Hernandez pulled away from a stop sign at Lugonia Avenue and Nevada Street and into the officer's path because he never noticed the CHP motorcycle, he told investigators. During the trial, Deputy District Attorney Carl LeBlanc argued that Hernandez's failure to see the officer amounted to negligence and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. But the jury sided with Deputy Public Defender Steve Bremser, who said Hernandez didn't see the CHP motorcycle because it was traveling about 60 mph, so fast that it was too far from the intersection to be spotted and perceived as a hazard, despite a reasonably careful scan for traffic. "One of the witnesses -- who was two cars behind the defendant -- saw the defendant look both ways and proceed into the intersection slowly," recalled juror Eric Morell. "He had no reasonable time to react, even if he did see the officer" just before impact.... Read the full story. 07/06/06 Crime Spree - Omaha - NE ...Court records indicate that Winkel pleaded guilty to trespassing and was sentenced to one day in jail. He was given credit for the few hours he was behind bars and set free. Winkel next showed up at Rosenblatt Stadium watching fireworks on Monday night and authorities say he tried to steal a police motorcycle outside the stadium. Omaha Police Sergeant Teresa Negron says, "It's not very often you hear of someone attempting to steal a police motorcycle."... Read the full story. 07/06/06 Judge waives fine against elderly woman given jaywalking ticket - Los Angeles, CA An 82-year-old woman who was given a jaywalking ticket for taking too long to cross a busy street had her $114 fine waived by a court commissioner. Mayvis Coyle became somewhat of an international sensation when her case was broadcast across the world. Camera crews began showing up to her trailer unannounced, interested in her plight, and senior citizen advocates were outraged that she received a ticket. Last week, Coyle received by mail the June 20 ruling from Superior Court Commissioner Jeffrey Harkavy who found her guilty of jaywalking but suspended the fine. "It sounds like a compromise, like they're trying to save face," Coyle's son, Jim Coyle, told the Los Angeles Daily News, which first reported the incident. "We're grateful for everyone's support." Coyle was vacationing in Colorado and was unavailable for comment. Police officials said Coyle entered a busy San Fernando Valley intersection on Feb. 15 after the red "Don't Walk" sign began blinking. Coyle said she began shuffling across the intersection with her cane in one hand and groceries in the other on a white "Walk" signal. Coyle said a motorcycle officer who stopped her said, "You're obstructing the flow of traffic," before issuing her the ticket.... Read the full story. 07/08/06 Nevada Supreme Court affirms woman's conviction - Reno, NV The Nevada Supreme Court has affirmed the conviction of a woman who drove with marijuana metabolites in her system and killed a Reno police motorcycle officer in 2002. The high court's decision on Wednesday was handed down despite her attorney's contention that evidence should have been allowed at her trial that showed property owners near the accident scene failed to trim their overgrown foliage. Anna Marie Jackson claimed foliage prevented her from seeing Reno motorcycle officer Mike Scofield, therefore, she should not be criminally liable for causing his death when she pulled in front of him on Sept. 26, 2002. He died within minutes. The Nevada Supreme Court said the foliage issue was "simply irrelevant."... Read the full story. 07/08/06 Driver's fate in jurors' hands - San Bernardino, CA The traffic death of a California Highway Patrol motorcycle officer should trigger a vehicular-manslaughter verdict against the motorist who pulled away from a stop sign and into the officer's path, a prosecutor argued Thursday. "Ask yourself if there's a reason the defendant didn't see the motorcycle, short of negligence," Deputy District Attorney Carl LeBlanc urged jurors during closing arguments in the misdemeanor trial of Raymond Edward Hernandez, 24, of Redlands. Jury deliberations began soon after both sides completed their arguments. Hernandez's lawyer insisted that no crime was committed in the June 2004 death in Redlands of 48-year-old Officer James Goodman.... Read the full story. 07/09/06 For an Officer Who Takes No Prisoners - New York, NY IF a citizen driving down Interstate 10 in Santa Monica saw a BMW 540i sedan in the California Highway Patrol's paint scheme, he might wonder how wisely his tax dollars were being spent. But an officer on a BMW R1200 RT-P, the company's newest police motorcycle, could escape the taxpayer's notice altogether. In an afternoon of riding in northern New Jersey, the black-and-white BMW — a subtle color scheme among the screaming hues that prevail on new bikes — attracted little attention. Still, its mild-mannered appearance should fool no one: this is a serious law enforcement tool. In addition to a lighting array worthy of Times Square and a siren that can pierce ears, the BMW was factory-equipped with run-flat tires and a digital speedometer that locks in the speed reached while pacing a lawbreaker. Optional gear included a digital video system for documenting errant drivers and a holder for flashlight and baton. While Harley-Davidson continues to dominate the market for police motorcycles, BMW's Authority division is making inroads, particularly in Western states where police departments put many miles on the bikes each year. (The California Highway Patrol has 520 BMW's in its fleet.) The R1200 RT-P is ideal for service on freeways, but it is not a machine for high-speed pursuit of Lamborghinis or sportbikes. Though the 110-horsepower engine gives it an adequate top speed of 133 m.p.h., its chief advantage is the ability to move officers quickly through traffic snarls that cars can't penetrate.... Read the full story. 07/10/06 Man acquitted in officer's traffic death - Redlands, CA A Redlands man has been acquitted of manslaughter charges stemming from a fatal collision with a C-H-P motorcycle officer. Jurors found Raymond Hernandez not guilty of a misdemeanor charge of vehicular manslaughter in the death of Officer James Goodman. Goodman was pursuing a witness in June, 2004, when his motorcycle struck the minivan that Hernandez drove into his path a Redlands intersection.... Read the full story. 07/10/06 Man arrested after Dublin police chase - Dublin, CA A 43-year-old man who had been spinning "donuts" in a Corvette on Dublin city streets led police on a short pursuit Monday morning. The call came in about 8 a.m. that a man in a 2006 orange Chevrolet Corvette was driving recklessly near Dublin Boulevard and Donlon Way, said police Lt. Glenn Moon. Officers found the Corvette abandoned after it had hit the curb, and found the driver a short distance away. When officers asked the Dublin resident for the car's registration, he said it was inside his Ford 350 pickup truck, also parked nearby. The man then got inside the truck and took off, nearly hitting a motorcycle officer as he fled, Moon said. Officers pursued the pickup east on Dublin Boulevard and south on San Ramon Road. The pickup's driver then parked on the Foothill Road off-ramp to eastbound Interstate 580. Officers were trying to get him out of his truck, but the driver again drove off on Foothill Road, sideswiping a police car with an officer inside in the process. The fleeing driver made a right on Dublin Canyon Road and headed toward Castro Valley, Moon said.... Read the full story. 07/10/06 State Police motorcycle officers have new tool - Roanoke, VA State Police motorcycle officers have a new tool to help cure your lead foot. The Salem District's three motorcycle officers are using blackberries to get information on the drivers they pull over instead of communicating back and forth with dispatchers. A Blackberry is a wireless internet device which allows the user instant internet access anywhere they can get a cell phone signal. The Salem District is the pilot program for blackberries. Police said if it works well in this region, it could be implemented for every motorcycle officer in the state. The blackberries connect officers to a state police website, where they enter their user name and password to pull up records from the state department of motor vehicles.... Read the full story. 07/11/06 State to unveil new Motorcycle Enforcement Bureau today - Bellville, IL The Illinois State Police and Illinois Department of Transportation today will unveil the state's new Motorcycle Enforcement Bureau, which will be dedicated to highway enforcement to reduce traffic deaths and injuries. Forty-two motorcycle patrol officers are now assigned to the Motorcycle Enforcement Bureau. The officers will focus on highway safety, primarily speed enforcement, in an effort to make Illinois' highways safer by targeting the "Fatal Five," violations: speeding, safety belts, improper lane usage, following too closely and driving under the influence.... Read the full story. 07/11/06 Illinois State Police add motorcycles - Collinsville, IL The Illinois State Police, whose officers did their first patrolling on surplus World War I motorcycles, is going back to its roots. The agency has set up a Motorcycle Enforcement Bureau to beef up its small motorcycle force. "Our goal is to reduce fatalities," Col. Charles Brueggemann said Tuesday at a news conference at District 11 headquarters to promote the benefits of the new bureau. The police will ride Harley-Davidsons, which can reach a speed of 114 mph, allowing officers to get to crash scenes more quickly than squad cars because of their ability to maneuver through traffic, he said. Another benefit is cost, said Lt. Scott Abbott, chief of the motorcycle bureau. Operating a motorcycle costs roughly 14 cents a mile, compared with 52 cents for a squad car, he said. The cost of leasing each motorcycle is $1,963 a year, including maintenance. A $500,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation's Division of Traffic Safety pays for the motorcycles and specialized equipment. Statewide, 42 troopers in six platoons have completed training to become certified to use motorcycles. Nine of these officers will patrol the Metro East area. They will be target the "Fatal Five" violations: speeding, improper lane use, following too closely, driving drunk and not wearing seat belts, officials said. When the state founded the agency in 1922, all officers rode the surplus motorcycles, Abbott said. The State Police got their first squad car in 1925; the agency dropped motorcycles in 1949, Abbott said. For the next 43 years, motorcycles were not part of the police fleet.... Read the full story. 07/11/06 Police Officer Injured Chasing Speeder - Hollister, CA A Watsonville police officer was seriously injured after being flung from his motorcycle while chasing a speeding big-rig on Highway 156 near the Mission City Tuesday afternoon. The officer, who has not been identified, had been attempting to pull over the white truck when he lost control of his motorcycle shortly before 5pm, said California Highway Patrol Officer Matt Ramirez. The officer told Ramirez that the truck had been traveling at speeds greater than 75mph. Witnesses said the truck had braked suddenly to avoid slower traffic ahead, Ramirez said. While trying to avoid rear-ending the truck, the officer lost control of the patrol bike and was flung to the side of the highway, Ramirez said. His motorcycle continued on, eventually hitting the center divider. No one else was injured in the accident and the big-rig was never stopped. The officer was taken by ambulance to Hazel Hawkins Hospital in Hollister with major injuries, Ramirez said. "He had broken bones, lacerations and road rash," he said.... Read the full story. 07/12/06 Bonneville Vintage GP Motorcycle Festival To Include AHRMA Races At Miller Motorsports Park - Tooele, Utah The premier of a new vintage motorcycle event at a new race facility is planned toward the end of the summer. Starting September 14 on the Bonneville Salt Flats, vintage and classic bikes will be able to do their best Burt Munro impersonation during The World of Speed-Utah Salt Flats Racing Association with the special addition of AHRMA racing classes. Stock vintage bikes will also be able to do official timed runs and earn an official timing slip and certificate suitable for garage bragging rights. On Sept. 15th the event moves to the new $83 million dollar Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah for one day of practice and two days of AHRMA vintage road racing. AMA Hall of Fame Legends Gary Nixon and Jay Springsteen will compete in the Triumph Thruxton Cup Challenge. A Concour d’Elegance sponsored by Motorcycle Classics Magazine will be held on Saturday and a custom bike show on Sunday. Also on tap will be performances by the Extreme Trials Stunt Show, a swap meet, vendors, demo rides, and Police Motorcycle Competition.... Read the full story. 07/13/06 Forces triumph in cop Olympics - Sunny Isles Beach, FL ...Wyche is no stranger to athletic competition. He played football at Florida State, where he graduated in 1991, and signed a free agent contract with the San Diego Chargers. He played the preseason with the Chargers before being cut and joining a venture league of the NFL, called the World League of American Football. At the Police Olympics Wyche played flag football with officers from Homestead and Sunny Isles Beach. Wyche's other Sunny Isles Beach teammates were Detective Keith Burrows, motorcycle officer Javier Estevez, uniform patrolman Manny Perez, Sgt. Ed Santiago and motorcycle officer Johans Martinez. ''It's the same feeling and motivation I had at Florida State, trying to outdo the next team,'' Wyche said.... Read the full story. 07/13/06 Watsonville police officer OK after motorcycle crash - Watsonville, CA A police officer is recovering from injuries suffered Tuesday after being ejected from his patrol motorcycle on Highway 156 near San Juan Bautista. Officer Bill Barrett, 42, was headed home to Hollister shortly before 5 p.m. when the crash occurred. Barrett, who had finished his shift in Watsonville, was trying to pull over a speeding big rig. But traffic ahead of him slowed, forcing him to take evasive action, officer Matt Ramirez of the California Highway Patrol said. Barrett had not yet turned on his emergency lights, Ramirez said, so the truck driver likely didn't know he was about to get pulled over. Locking up the front wheel of the 2004 Harley Davidson to avoid cars in the slow lane, Barrett was thrown to the pavement and came to rest on the right shoulder of the highway. The motorcycle went in the opposite direction and hit the center divide, Ramirez said. Barrett was taken by ambulance to Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital in Hollister for treatment of injuries that included a broken finger and several scrapes and cuts from hitting the pavement.... Read the full story. 07/14/06 Motorcycle patrol officer hurt in crash - Broome County, NY A 33-year-old Broome County sheriff's deputy was injured Thursday afternoon when a car turned in front of his southbound motorcycle on Route 12 in the Town of Chenango. Michael P. Kelly suffered two broken bones in his right leg, as well as a slight fracture and dislocation of his right shoulder, according to Sgt. Thomas H. Williams of the Sheriff's Office Highway Patrol Division. The driver of the car, Robert J. Hoyt, 78, of Smith Hill Road, Binghamton, was charged with failure to yield the right of way, Williams said. Hoyt -- who was uninjured, along with a passenger in his 1996 Chevy Suburban -- will appear in Town of Chenango Court to answer the vehicle and traffic charge on July 26.... Read the full story. 07/14/06 Harley patrol moves forward - Canandaigua City, NY The Ontario County Sheriff’s Department will get the use of a Harley-Davidson this summer. Supervisors last night agreed, 18-2, to spend $2,700 for equipment needed to get the motorcycle on the road, primarily for use at special events. Geneva City Supervisor Rocky LaRocca was absent. Canandaigua City Supervisors David Baker and Skip Buck voted against the appropriation, saying the bike isn’t needed and questioning Geneva Harley-Davidson Sales and Service’s offer to let the sheriff’s department use it. The dealership arranged use of the 2006 FLHPI Road King Police Motorcycle under a national program with Harley-Davidson. Saying the arrangement is not appropriate, Buck contended “it hurts the integrity of the sheriff’s department and with our board. I don’t approve of it.”... Read the full story. 07/17/06 City’s original motorcycle officer puts on the brakes - Albemarle, NC Capt. J.D. Huneycutt looked over his shoulder, revved the rumbling motor of his Harley Davidson Road King, and pulled onto the roadway one final time as one of Albemarle’s original motorcycle officers. Huneycutt, 39, joined the Albemarle Police Department in March of 1988. In 1999 he became one of only three officers chosen to police local streets as part of a new motorcycle patrol unit. As of Thursday his former hog, complete with front and rear radar, lights, siren, police scanner and equipment storage, has taken up residence with Officer Milton Allman, the next generation of motorcycle patrol. Huneycutt expressed mixed emotions about passing the 700-pound bike along. He likes the open air and interaction with the public but in the end decided it was for the best. “It is a very effective enforcement tool,” he said. “A lot of times people will speed right past you and not even know you were there. “It’s also good for community relations and community interactions. People are just more likely to talk to you when you are on a bike than in a patrol car.”... Read the full story. 07/18/06 Dogs avoid death sentence - Napa, CA ...Barner said the dogs cornered her at the condo walkway. "I was delivering the papers, and I saw a dog barking, snarling and growling at me. Then out of now where there was another dog. They were inches from me. I had no where to go. I started banging on the front doors, screaming, 'Help me. Help me.' I had on shorts. I held the newspapers in front of my legs so they couldn't rip my legs to shreds. They were within inches of me," Barner said, sobbing and wiping her eyes. "I have been never so terrified in my life." Barner was able to call 911 on her cell phone and jump a fence to safety when the dogs were distracted and left for a moment. It was then Napa police officer Gregg Lee arrived after hearing a dispatch report of a dog attack on Clay Street. Lee testified at the hearing when he arrived, he got off his police motorcycle and the dogs came running around the corner of the walkway. "I could hear a woman screaming. The pit bulls charged me. I pulled my gun. I stepped back, but they were fully charging me and showed no signs of stopping.," Lee said. Lee said he fired and hit Mercedes. The dogs ran off.... Read the full story. 07/18/06 Motorcycle cop rides on - Funks Grove, IL Jim Howell feels at home on a motorcycle. When he’s on the road, especially one with a view, he’d choose a motorcycle over a car any day. "There’s more of a sense of scenery and the smells are more vivid," he said. That’s why the master sergeant with the Illinois State Police is looking forward to the middle of next month. The 54-year-old Gridley resident will begin patrolling the interstates on a Harley-Davidson. The idea, he said during a stopover with his state police Harley at the Funks Grove Rest Area earlier this week, is to save lives through aggressive traffic enforcement. "We’re looking to reduce speed on the interstates. Speed is linked to fatalities," Howell said. He’ll operate one of 42 motorcycles statewide. Nine will patrol out of the Central (Illinois) platoon that Howell supervises. Master Sergeant Rick Hector, a spokesman for ISP, said there are six squads like Howell’s throughout the state. "It’s called the Motorcycle Enforcement Bureau," Hector said, adding that motorcycles were chosen because they are "more flexible and mobile" than squad cars. Motorcycles also are harder to spot, making it less likely that speeders will be able to avoid detection, police said. While it’s been at least 20 years since state police operated a motorcycle unit, a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation makes lease of the cycles possible, Hector said. Being a motorcycle copmeans that Howell, who owns a Harley and races it, can rideboth at work as well as at home. He expects to enjoy himself and to be popular with the public, except when he makes traffic stops. "They (the motorcycles) will break down the barrier of the squad car," he said.... Read the full story. 07/18/06 State Police in Milton Get a Harley - Scranton, PA A new Harley-Davidson is patrolling the roads of central Pennsylvania. It's the first state police motorcycle in the area and officers think it's a valuable addition to the force. The Harley is one of only 30 or so State Police motorcycles in Pennsylvania. After a couple weeks of training Trooper Randy Kurtz is the only one in the entire troop certified to ride it. "I've always enjoyed riding motorcycles. I've been on them since I was 10 years old. It's something I've always wanted to do," Kurtz said. The trooper thinks the bike has a few advantages over a cruiser. It can weave through traffic when there is an accident or back-up. And it is harder for speeders to spot. Lee Sanderson thought the trooper was lost when he first saw the motorcycle on patrol. He thinks the two wheeled trooper will catch a few drivers off guard.... Read the full story. 07/20/06 Motorcycle unit revs up: $25,000 grant provides a boost for marana law enforcement team - Marana, AZ The town of Marana is making progress toward having a fleet of five motorcycle officers to catch speeders and respond to emergencies around town. The Marana Police Department recently received a $25,000 grant from the Governor's Office of Highway Safety to buy a new motorcycle and equipment such as lights, radar and safety gear. That vehicle should be ready to roll by the end of the week and will give Marana three operational motorcycles, said Lt. Joe Carrasco with the department's patrol operations division. The town applied for an additional $60,000 grant from the state in April to get two more motorcycles. Word on that grant application won't come back until later this year, said T. VanHook a Marana town official who helped write the grant application. The goal is to have the five motorcycles by next year, VanHook said. Police officers want to reduce aggressive driving through increased enforcement. In gathering information to qualify for the grant, the town discovered the number of collisions police went to rose from 837 in 2003 to 974 in 2005, Carrasco said. Marana police officers also have seen a 300 percent increase in tickets issued for road rage — or aggressive driving — over the past three years. Carrasco said he'll deploy the motorcycles based on the number of complaints he receives from residents about traffic violations in their community or based on the statistical breakdown of where violations occur throughout the town. "In Marana we encompass 120 square miles of incorporated area with residential and commercial space," Carrasco said. "We'd like to work proactively with traffic concerns in the area." With three motorcycles the department could have one to increase enforcement in northeast Marana near Dove Mountain and another to patrol major intersections like Ina and Thornydale roads, and still have an officer to keep an eye on Marana schools. As new subdivisions and shopping centers emerge throughout the town, the two additional motorcycles could further aid enforcement, Carrasco said. Motorcycle officers have the advantage of either high or low visibility to motorists, said Sgt. John Teachout a motorcycle officer with the Oro Valley Police Department and instructor at the Pima Regional Motor Academy. Motorcycle officers can also reach emergencies quickly because of their vehicles' maneuverability, he said. Teachout said he formed the Pima Regional Motor Academy along with the Pima County Sheriff's Department so officers who want to ride motorcycles could gain the necessary experience.... Read the full story. 07/20/06 Motorcycle helping Darien police catch traffic violators - Darien, CT What is blue and white and weighs about 800 pounds? The Harley Davidson Road King motorcycle that the Darien Police Department recently added to its patrol fleet. It is the first time the department has had a motorcycle since the 1930s. “We — myself, Captain Komm and Chief Lovello — discussed the advantages of having a motorcycle,” Captain Gary Pavia said. “We figured if we’re going to have a traffic division the motorcycle was probably one of the best tools we could use.” Officer T. Courtney Isaac will make the most of this “tool,” which he will ride as he deals with speeders and other traffic violators, particularly in areas that have been deemed problematic based on patterns and citizen complaints, in an effort to make the roads safer. “When out there, Court will not be responsible for routine calls,” Pavia said. “He will only be responsible for traffic enforcement.” He and officer James Martin both had to take a two week and two day course, established through a Michigan university and Harley Davidson at the Fairfield Police Department, to learn how to handle the motorcycle. For eight hours a day, they practiced everything from traveling at a slow speed and maneuvering to brake patterns and obstacle avoidance, to picking up the bike if it drops, and where to focus their eyes when turning. Isaac, who took the course last August, passed with a 99 — the highest in his class of three. He lost the one point after he knocked over a cone while trying to get the motorcycle, which has a turn ratio of 18 feet, through a circle that was 19 feet in diameter. “I was nervous on test day,” Isaac, 41, said. “It’s a lot of pressure. I didn’t want to come back to the department with my tail between my legs and say I didn’t pass.” The fact that Isaac has been riding his own Harley for 15 years was little consolation. Not only did he have to adjust to two Kawasakis during the class as well as the department’s bike, but Isaac said riding for the department is much different from driving for personal enjoyment. That latter reason is why many officers with motorcycle licenses — a requirement for the course — opt not to drive for the department. “The big thing I noticed is that if I’m driving around by myself, off-duty, I’m watching the intersections, obeying the lights and driving slowly,” he said. “When I’m driving for the police department, I have to be a little more aggressive. I have to pull out into traffic to stop cars and get into situations I’d otherwise not do — preferably safely.” Since he began using the motorcycle a few weeks ago, Isaac, a nine-year veteran of the Darien force, said he has made 30 stops. Being able to dedicate himself solely to traffic issues in addition to the motorcycle’s compact size and maneuverability has allowed Isaac to easily catch traffic violators. “The patrol cars have to park parallel to the street to get radar while I can park the bike off the road and get off,” he said. “I prefer stepping into the road and pulling people over.” He also prefers the motorcycle over the patrol car. “I’ve always liked riding, so this is good for me,” Isaac said. “I like the freedom. I like that it’s more approachable. There’s no steel walls and windows.” The motorcycle’s “openness” makes for good public relations. He said more people are willing to approach him, talk to him and tell him their concerns. This, in turn, helps him identify the trouble spots around town. “People have this idea that the police are stand-offish,” Isaac said. “This lets them know that we’re human, just like them.” Isaac has been able to show off this more “human” side at the YWCA’s Push-n-Pull Parade, the Darien carnival, the Barnum Festival and a summer camp. The motorcycle is also available for escorts. “We feel (the motorcycle) is going to be a big advantage for the town and the police department,” said Pavia, whose first and only choice was the Harley, which is used by most police departments and is American-made — a major deciding factor.... Read the full story. 07/21/06 Officer arrested in drug, theft ring - Boston, MA A Boston police officer was arrested late yesterday on federal charges, accused of being the ringleader in a wide-ranging criminal enterprise that allegedly involved guarding shipments of drugs and stolen goods, dealing in stolen store gift cards, stealing people's identities, and running illegal afterhours parties, two law enforcement officials said. Two other veteran officers were also arrested yesterday on charges in connection with some of the alleged schemes, the officials said. The three officers are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of cocaine, one official said. The officers provided ``protective details" for the deliveries of several shipments of cocaine into the Boston area, the official said. The case is focused on the alleged ringleader, Roberto Pulido, 41, a 10-year department veteran and motorcycle officer who is accused of netting thousands of dollars from the enterprise, the second official said. Although the three officers are currently charged only with drug trafficking, investigators are also alleging in court documents expected to be made public today that one or more of the officers were involved in other crimes, the first official said. Pulido is accused of taking information gleaned from driver's licenses of motorists he stopped while on duty and selling it to identity fraud rings that used the information for bogus credit cards, the first official said. A ``significant" number of people were victimized, the official said. Pulido also allegedly sold fraudulent gift cards from Home Depot. It was not clear last night how he allegedly obtained the gift cards. And Pulido is accused of running parties with drugs, alcohol, and prostitutes, the law enforcement officials said. The officials said Pulido recruited two other Boston officers -- Nelson Carrasquillo, 35, a seven-year department veteran and also a mobile operations officer, and Carlos Pizarro, 36, a 10-year veteran who is on injured leave -- to guard sizable drug shipments, stolen property, and other contraband deliveries. More details on the case are expected to emerge today when the officers appear in US District Court. So far, no one else has been charged in the case, the officials said. The charges stem from a two-year joint investigation by the FBI and the Boston police anticorruption unit, the second official said. Federal authorities typically investigate and prosecute public and police corruption because they often lead to federal charges. After beginning to investigate Pulido, the FBI brought the anticorruption unit into the probe, the official said. Over time, the investigation broadened to include two other Boston police officers whom Pulido considered close friends and allegedly brought into his enterprises later, the official said. The official said that if the officers are convicted of all the charges they face, they could each face more than a decade in prison. Their records with the department were not available last night. If the allegations prove true, they would be the worst corruption case involving the Boston Police Department in years.... Read the full story. 07/21/06 Suspects arrested after Knoxville motorcycle officer hit by car - Knoxville, TN Two suspects are under arrest for a hit and run that injured a Knoxville police officer on a motorcycle Friday evening. The incident was at the intersection of Middlebrook Pike and Clyde. Officers say the injured officer was traveling on Middlebrook Pike when he was hit by the suspects' car coming from Clyde. Officer Darrel Johnson was taken to UT Medical Center with minor scrapes and bruises. Police say the injured officer was able to radio a description of the suspects' car right after being hit. Officers caught up to the suspects a little over a mile away. Police arrested the driver, 22-year-old Christine Michelle Pulcher. She faces charges for leaving the scene of an accident and possession of marijuana. Police might also charge her with a DUI.... Read the full story. 07/22/06 Knoxville officer involved in hit and run accident - Knoxville, TN A 22 year old Knoxville woman is facing charges, after crashing into an on-duty motorcycle police officer. Officer Darrell G. Johnson was not seriously hurt when his motorcycle was broadsided Friday afternoon by a car trying to make an illegal turn. Investigators say the driver, Michele Pulcher took off after the accident. She was later arrested on several different charges, including leaving the scene of an accident.... Read the full story. 07/22/06 Officer shoots, kills man after chase in Springfield - Springfield, OR A police officer fatally shot a motorcyclist who pulled a gun after a chase, authorities said. Witnesses said the officer fired four or five rounds into the man's chest after the two scuffled following a crash that ended Thursday's chase. Neither the officer nor the victim has been identified. It was the third officer-involved shooting in Oregon in 24 hours.... Read the full story. 07/22/06 Hunt is on for other police corruption - Boston, MA Boston police and the FBI will investigate whether a corruption case reaches deeper and higher into the department than three officers accused in an intricate network of schemes that included stealing the identities of unsuspecting motorists, protecting truckloads of cocaine, smuggling illegal immigrants, and guarding after-hours parties where uniformed officers mingled with drug dealers and prostitutes. ``If there is sufficient evidence to charge any other individuals, they will be charged," US Attorney Michael J. Sullivan said yesterday as he announced the three officers' arrests after a 2 1/2-year undercover FBI investigation. The explosive allegations have dealt another devastating blow to the Police Department. ``This is not a good day for us," Acting Police Commissioner Albert Goslin said at a press conference yesterday. ``It is very hard for us to see that some of our own have conducted themselves in such an unprofessional and atrocious manner." The alleged ringleader of the group, motorcycle officer Roberto ``Kiko" Pulido, was deeply involved in all the schemes, officials said. He recruited two other officers -- one he met at the police academy, the other a colleague -- into some schemes, officials said.... Read the full story. 07/22/06 Pulido's club offered sex, drugs, prosecutors say - Boston, MA Nobody had to worry about police raiding the after-hours club atop the auto body shop on the gritty side street in Hyde Park. One night a month, federal prosecutors say, about a hundred guests found the blue door and the awning that read ``Destiny Dance Studio," at the side of Extreme Performance Auto Body. Twenty or 40 dollars got them in. Up a stairway, music thumped. There were nude dancers and prostitutes. Drinks and drugs were for sale. In the ``boom-boom room," guests paid up to $100 for sex. Partying alongside known drug dealers were uniformed officers from the Boston Police Department and other departments, according to an FBI affidavit. Presiding over the affairs was Roberto ``Kiko" Pulido, 41, a member of the police motorcycle squad who, for $600 a night, ensured that revelers would not be bothered by law enforcement.... Read the full story. 07/24/06 Cops rev up cycle unit in Miami Twp. - Cincinnati - OH Two motorcycle cops are expected to begin patrolling in this Clermont County community next month. The bikes' maneuverability will come in handy on highways packed with cars during rush hour, said township Police Chief R. Steven Bailey. But he's resisting any suggestion the new unit be named the Clermont Highway Patrol, or CHiPs for short. "I'm not going to call it that," Bailey said. "We call it the Motorcycle Unit." Just as on the old TV show "CHiPs," the officers will ride massive motorcycles. But unlike the 1977-83 show, the township cops won't ride together, Bailey said. They will be on different 12-hour shifts, said Lt. Steve Rogers, the department's patrol coordinator. "One should be out there every day of the week." If the weather gets nasty, "we'll put him back in a car," Bailey said. Each officer's duties will be the same as if he were in a car, Rogers said. "The only thing he cannot do is transport a prisoner." Officers Gary Roush and Scott Ball will patrol on Harley-Davidson Electra Glides with 1,450-cc engines. The police model of the Harley generates about 70 horsepower and has a top speed of about 160 mph, said Bob Bacon, general sales manager of Harley-Davidson Cincinnati-Eastgate in Union Township. But it's not really safe to drive that fast, he said. While Roush and Ball are experienced motorcyclists, Bailey said, the officers will receive two weeks of special training from the Northwestern University Traffic Institute of Evanston, Ill., where the chief is an adjunct professor. But the officers won't have to leave Ohio. Northwestern had already planned an August training session in London in Madison County, where the Ohio State Highway Patrol will send some of its officers for motorcycle training. Miami is the first township in Clermont to start a motorcycle unit, Rogers said, though the county sheriff's office also uses two Harley-Davidson motorcycles to patrol. The township's Harleys will be black with silver lettering.... Read the full story. 07/24/06 TPD officers score high on motorcycle skills - Tallahassee, FL Several members of the Tallahassee Police Department's Motorcycle Unit were honored during a motorcycle skills competition Saturday in Charleston, S.C. Officer John Pretti won the expert open division, while Officer David McCranie finished third and Officer Ivan Lee finished fourth. Also, Officer Henni Hamby placed third in the novice division. About 100 officers from a number of agencies in the U.S. competed. The TPD officers paid their own expenses to compete.... Read the full story. 07/25/06 Peck chosen as Fairfield's police chief - Fairfied, CT ...Peck is now captain of the department's special services division, where he supervises 30 full-time and 100 part-time employees. He was captain of the department's patrol division from 1998 to 2004. Peck's career also included assignments as a training officer and internal affairs lieutenant from 1992 to 1998 and as a patrol supervisor from 1988 to 1992. He was a motorcycle officer and accident investigator from 1979 to 1988.... Read the full story. 07/25/06 Deputy On Motorcycle Injured During Search - Seminole County, FL A sheriff's deputy on a motorcycle in Seminole County, Fla., was injured during a search for several burglary suspects, according to a Local 6 News report. Investigators said the Seminole County Sheriff's Office received a call about a residential burglary in the Sweetwater Creek area in Longwood, Fla., Tuesday afternoon.... Read the full story. 07/26/06 Cop Hurt in Motorcycle Crash - West Reading, PA West Reading motorcycle cop is still recovering this morning after being hit by his own bike. It happened on the Penn Avenue Bridge. Police say West Reading Police Officer Thomas Hawn was handling an accident on the bridge when the driver of a van hit the officer's unoccupied motorcycle. The motorcycle took flight and slammed into Officer Hawn.... Read the full story. 07/26/06 Officer Injured In Motorcycle Crash - Indianapolis, IN An Indianapolis police motorcycle officer is recovering following an accident Wednesday morning on the city's east side. Police said Officer Brian Chasteen was going east on Washington Street at about 9:40 a.m. when he hit the back of a woman's car. Police said the woman had cut across five lanes of traffic. IPD said the woman had darted across the road to get into a Salvation Army store. The woman told police she didn't see the officer at an intersection.... Read the full story. 07/27/06 MBTA says goodbye to longest serving officer - Boston, MA After serving more than 30 years as a Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority police officer, Emilio Ragucci has retired with the honors of being the longest serving member on the force. "Most people retire after they served their time," said Ragucci. "I enjoyed the job too much to retire." ... Read the full story. |
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