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MOTORCYCLE POLICE NEWS.
Police Officers in the News - June 2006
Here is the article archive of headlines that have appeared in newspapers around the United States which relate to police motorcycle officers.


06/01/06
I-70 Was Busy After Crimes In Independence - Independence, MO
Officers arrested several people Thursday afternoon after an unrelated string of crimes converged at Interstate 70 and Noland Road.

KMBC's Dan Weinbaum reported that the trouble began at Independence Center Mall when shoplifters were spotted and officers gave chase.

Meanwhile, there was a stolen car investigation nearby.

"It almost sounded like the bad guys passed each other crossing I-70 -- running from police officers on each side," Officer Tom Gentry said.

While the interchange at Noland and I-70 was busy, an officer on a motorcycle suffered minor injuries when his motorcycle crashed into a patrol car. He was treated at a local hospital for some cuts and bruises....     Read the full story.

06/01/06
93 drivers cited at pedestrian decoy - San Gabriel, CA
Oncoming traffic was supposed to stop when pedestrian Jack Vrtar stepped onto the crosswalk on Las Tunas Boulevard on Wednesday morning.

Instead, an eastbound car whizzed by within feet of Vrtar - then three more westbound vehicles flew by. One person on foot, four potentially deadly traffic violations.

The eastbound sedan was quickly ticketed by a motorcycle cop who was watching the intersection as part of a pedestrian decoy operation. In all, police cited 93 drivers between 7 and 11 a.m. at the crosswalk, in the 300 block of East Las Tunas Boulevard.

San Gabriel ranks as one of the deadliest cities in the state for pedestrians. In 2004, eight senior citizens were killed or injured by vehicles while crossing the city's streets - making it the second most dangerous city in the state compared to cities of similar size....     Read the full story.

06/01/06
Motorcycle officers will all ride same model for Arlington police - Arlington, TX
Auf Wiedersehen BMW, hello Milwaukee.

The Arlington Police Department is phasing out German-made BMW and Japanese-made Kawasaki motor bikes in favor of American Harley-Davidson Electra Glides. All of its motorcycle officers will be straddling sleek black and chrome machines by the end of 2010.

The switch brings more uniformity to the department's 18-member unit for its escorts, funeral processions and traffic patrols, an official said. Motorcycle officers already wear the same navy uniforms and white helmets.

"It looks nice when all of the bikes are painted the same and are of the same make and model," said Deputy Police Chief David Pugh. "This is the practice in most cities that have large departments."

Pugh added that requiring the same model also makes it easier to train officers.

Arlington has had motorcycle officers since the 1920s but didn't officially organize a motorcycle unit until 1986. For years, officers rode Kawasaki's, BMWs and Harley-Davidsons.

Other Tarrant County departments, including Forth Worth and Haltom City, have already begun phasing in Harley-Davidsons. Fort Worth Sgt. Oscar Ramirez said his 34-officer unit switched to the Harley-Davidson Road King last year. They, too, were seeking uniformity, he said. Haltom City chose the Electra Glide.

Dallas began working on a new contract for Electra Glides about two years ago, after learning that Kawasaki was no longer making its KZ1000. Dallas always has required its 44 officers to ride the same make and model bikes, said Dallas police Lt. Robert A. Sanders.

"I've been here more than 30 years, and I've never seen different bikes," Sanders said. "It looks ragtag when it's mixed."

Thousands of law enforcement and emergency agencies ride Harley-Davidsons. Police in Arlington, Fort Worth, Haltom City and Dallas said the Harley-Davidson is more rider-friendly. The standard Harley-Davidsons can reach speeds of 120 mph, though safety drastically decreases past 85, Ramirez said....     Read the full story.

06/01/06
Right way to ride: Motorcycle enthusiasts mix safety, thrill of the open road - Forsyth, GA
Let's be honest, motorcycling is not for everyone. It is statistically a dangerous ride, but for those who choose to ride safely and responsibly, it can be a heck of a lot of fun.

In the words of Rob Johns, owner of Bike2Biker Motorcycle Riding School in Phenix City: "Only a motorcyclist knows why a dog hangs his head out the window of a car. Motorcycling is definitely a fever."

Even though May was National Motorcycle Safety Month, rider safety is still a topic that should be discussed among all motorists, not just those on two wheels.

Sgt. Tim Wynn, coordinator of the police motorcycle program at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth, Ga., has been riding since 1989. Wynn said those who are new to riding should seek formal training, especially if their plans include buying a motorcycle. "I can't emphasize enough how important that is," Wynn said....     Read the full story.

06/02/06
City budgeters wrap up work - Keizer, OR
...The committee earlier in May deliberated on the general fund budget, the one that relies on property taxes.

The primary change approved by the panel was adding two police officer positions to the budget, one a motorcycle officer for traffic patrols and the other a meth task force officer. The second position would be funded only if the city received a grant through Marion County.

The new budget will be supported by the city's tax rate of $2.08 per $1,000 of property tax valuation – "the lowest rate for any full-service city in the state of Oregon," Eppley noted....     Read the full story.

06/02/06
Street Name to Honor Fallen Westminster Officer - Westminster, CA
A two-mile stretch of Westminster's main thoroughfare is set to be dedicated Monday to the city's first police officer killed in the line of duty.

The section of Beach Boulevard between the Garden Grove and San Diego freeways will be named Westminster Police Officer Steven L. Phillips Memorial Highway. Phillips was killed near Beach Boulevard in 2004 when his motorcycle collided with a car, whose driver also died.

The motorcycle officer, who was 46, spent 18 years with the Westminster Police Department, police spokesman Sgt. Dan Schoonmaker said....     Read the full story.

06/02/06
Motorcycle officer hurt in chase - Independence, MO
An Independence police officer suffered minor injuries Thursday afternoon while pursuing shoplifting suspects at Noland Road and Lynn Drive.

The officer’s motorcycle skidded to the pavement as he avoided striking an Independence police car involved in the same chase, said Tom Gentry, Independence police spokesman.

Several suspects were taken into custody, but one escaped, Gentry said.

The events began shortly after noon when some of the suspects left the Independence Center shopping mall by a south entrance, Gentry said. Upon seeing police officers approach them, they got into a car and sped off....     Read the full story.

06/03/06
New Jersey policemen will train DR motorcycle police - Santo Domingo, DR
Two members from New Jersey State Police will arrive to DR next Monday to reinforce training the National Police agents who will patrol troubled areas in Harley Davidson Motorcycles.

The North American agents Thomas Jhonson and Arsenio Sanchez will arrive at Dominican territory through Airport Las Américas and will immediately integrate to the task of DR motorized police training.

The Secretary of Interior and National Police said the training is mainly to patrol the country’s highways....     Read the full story.

06/03/06
City to host Tepatitlan delegation - Ridgecrest, CA
For the 30th year, Ridgecrest officials will host a reception Wednesday for representatives of sister city Tepatitlan, Jalisco, Mexico. The delegation is in town for its annual visit until June 2.

Activities begin at noon with a Police Dog demonstration and a Police Motorcycle demonstration by the Ridgecrest Police Department in the Freedom Park gazebo area....     Read the full story.

06/04/06
Family gives tribute to CHP officer - San Bernardino, CA
Clutching fragrant reminders of her fairy-tale romance with her fallen hero, Patti Goodman was overcome with emotion Saturday afternoon. Choking back tears, Goodman laid two gladiolas and a red rose next to a metal cross at the intersection where her husband was killed in a motorcycle crash two years ago Saturday.

California Highway Patrol Officer James Goodman, 48, died June 3, 2004, after colliding with a van at Lugonia Avenue and Nevada Street.

The anniversary comes as the trial for the man charged in the officer's death is scheduled to start in San Bernardino Superior Court.

Raymond Hernandez, a 24-year-old Redlands man, pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor vehicular-manslaughter charges in December 2004.

Goodman, who met her husband when he pulled her over for speeding in the Bay Area in 1985, still hasn't come to grips with the tragedy.

"This is the first time I've been able to come out to the intersection," said Goodman, who lives in Rancho Mirage. "I can't for the life of me understand why the accident happened."

She arrived in a CHP patrol car at 12:15 p.m. - the time of the crash that killed her husband - accompanied by his sister, Bonnie Bell, his 27-year-old son, Joshua, and Joshua's fiancee, Jessica Janke.

Wearing a pink dress with flowers and a gold CHP necklace engraved with her husband's name, she knelt next to the flowers wrapped in blue tissue paper. Gladiolas were the flowers at the couple's wedding - one for each year since his death. The rose is a symbol of her love.

The words "My Jim, I love you," and "You are my world," were written in gold stencil on the paper. The message was signed, "Your bunch."

"He always called me 'Honey Bunch,' she said. "If he ever called me Patti, I knew he was mad at me."

After laying the flowers, Goodman and a handful of CHP officers had lunch at Red Robin restaurant just east of the site. They ordered chili dogs, her husband's favorite food and what he ate before starting his last shift.

Goodman said she has been showered with support from her extended family of CHP officers. Her husband's colleagues help her out around the house, fixing things like the sprinklers and plumbing.

"The motorcycle officers in San Bernardino are tight," said CHP Officer Dale Witham, who was pulling weeds from the memorial site before Goodman arrived. "We've gone through a lot over the last five years with injuries and deaths. This one hit us hard."...     Read the full story.

06/04/06
Austin police overtime soaring - Austin, TX
...In the city's 68 police patrol areas, supervisors continue to send out regular pager messages offering overtime shifts. First come, first served.

Martin, a motorcycle officer, routinely answers those calls. He worked the most hours of any officer last year, averaging 60 hours a week and earning $117,000, making him the eighth-highest-paid officer in the city.

Officers who once competed for the rare opportunity to make extra cash have become so accustomed to overtime money that they depend on it to pay their mortgages and car notes. Martin said he uses the money to send his son to the University of Texas....     Read the full story.

06/05/06
Wilmington Police Warn Motorcyclists to be Cautious - Wilmington, NC
A series of motorcycle accidents in Wilmington have police asking drivers to be careful.

The most recent crash claimed the life of a 20 year old Wilmington man.

Now, officers with a new Wilmington police motorcycle unit are offering some safety advice. They're telling drivers to stay alert and asking bikers to slow down....     Read the full story.

06/05/06
Hollywood motorcycle officer hurt in collision with Jaguar - Hollywood, FL
An officer was injured Monday morning when his motorcycle collided with a Jaguar at Buchanan Street and U.S. 441/State Road 7, police said.

The accident occurred around 7:45 a.m. while the unidentified motorcycle cop was northbound on 441 with his emergency lights on and when he turned into the right lane, Detective Carlos Negron, police spokesman, said.

At the same time, a black 2000 Jaguar, driven by an unidentified female, was also northbound in the right lane....     Read the full story.

06/06/06
Rocklin Police Officer Crashes Motorcycle - Rocklin, CA
A Rocklin police officer crashed his police motorcycle Monday while responding to the scene of another accident, police reported.

Officer Casey Finney was riding his motorcycle when it collided with another vehicle on Sierra College Boulevard at about 3:45 p.m.

Finney was thrown to the ground and was taken to Sutter Roseville Hospital for treatment, officials said. It did not appear that Finney suffered any life-threatening injuries....     Read the full story.

06/06/06
Car hits officer on motorcycle - Akron, OH
Akron police are searching for a group of teenagers they say fled from a car that struck an officer riding a motorcycle to work Monday afternoon.

Sgt. Christopher Brown was treated at Akron General Hospital and released Monday evening. As of 9 p.m., no arrests had been made.

Brown, an 11-year veteran, was traveling on West Exchange Street on the way to the police station for his midday shift when a gray Ford Taurus tried to turn left onto Bloomfield Avenue and struck him at 2:38 p.m., police said.

Police said Brown used his police radio to call in the accident and describe the suspects. He said three or four teens fled the scene.

Monday afternoon, several police cars lined West Exchange Street at the accident scene. Officers fanned out through the neighborhood looking for the suspects and witnesses....     Read the full story.

06/08/06
Car Strikes Police Motorcycle Officer - San Diego, CA
A police motorcycle officer suffered apparently minor injuries Thursday when he was struck by a car in Serra Mesa, authorities reported.

The accident occurred shortly before 11:30 a.m. at Sandrock Road and Glenhaven Street, just east of state Route 163 in central San Diego, SDPD Detective Gary Hassen said....     Read the full story.

06/09/06
Motor cop training a grueling ride - La Vista, NE
Add a smart-looking police uniform to a smooth ride on cool wheels down an open road and La Vista's new motor cops are sure to turn a few heads.

That distinction, now tagged to La Vista Police Department officers Ray Harrod and Andrew Johnson, didn't roll in, however, without mastering a steep learning curve.

While most citizens would concede that even routine training requirements for law-enforcement detail require agility, smarts and stamina, the officers found that at times, the motorcycle drills far outdistanced the thrills.

"This training was, by far, the most demanding I have ever attended as a police officer," Harrod said.

Even as a seasoned rider, Harrod found he needed to overcome several incorrect habits - improper braking one of the most serious....     Read the full story.

06/09/06
Officer accused of harming 88-year-old driver - Ft Worth, TX
...Its radiator cap popped off and steam erupted from beneath the hood. Several neighbors, worried about a potential fire, called 911, Fort Worth police records show.

A Fort Worth motorcycle officer responded. According to Cue, the two got into a minor dispute and the officer threw him on the ground and twisted his right arm so hard behind his back that he suffered permanent shoulder injuries.

Cue says that once he was face down on his driveway, the police officer stomped on his back. He says that when he angrily threatened to sue, the officer declined to give his name, removed his badge and left the scene.

There is one more relevant detail:

Ted Cue is 88.

"I'd give a hundred bucks to find out that guy's name," Cue told The Watchdog.

Fort Worth police spokesman Lt. Dean Sullivan said this week that a check of police records helped identify the officer who answered the call as Ryan Perales, 30. He joined the department in the late 1990s and has worked as a neighborhood police officer, records show. Reached on his cellphone, Perales said he could not comment. Police Department rules forbid officers from commenting on matters under internal investigation, he said....     Read the full story.

06/09/06
1 family, 3 badges - Tucson, AZ
When Christina Ann Stephenson joined the Tucson Police Department on Thursday, she became part of a police family — literally.

Stephenson's mother, Detective Faye Dietsch, has been with the department for 16 years while her stepfather, Mike Dietsch, has been on the force for 14. Dietsch works as a night detective while her husband is a motorcycle officer....     Read the full story.

06/11/06
Stockton Police officer injured in collision - Stockton, CA
Stockton Police officer Nicky Ezell, 41, was treated for minor injuries after his motorcycle was broadsided by a car Saturday afternoon.

The accident happened at 4:40 p.m. at El Dorado Street and Harding Way in midtown Stockton, Sgt. Eric Ingersoll said. Ingersoll said Ezell was assisting in a theft investigation when he spotted a maroon van that matched the description of the theft suspects.

When he made his move to pull the van over, a Honda collided with the motorcycle. No arrests were made. Ezell suffered a hairline fracture to his right ankle, a fractured elbow and a cut lip....     Read the full story.

06/11/06
11-year-old San Fernando girl mauled by pit bulls - San Fernando, CA
Police in San Fernando report two pit bulls escaped from their yard today and seriously mauled an eleven-year-old girl at a nearby school.

The girl has a badly bitten left leg and was airlifted in "serious condition" to Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles.

The girl was using the sink in a restroom at San Fernando Middle School when the full-grown male and female pit bulls chased other students into the girls' restroom.

The dogs attacked her, and she was badly bitten on the left leg.

She managed to run out of the restroom. A custodian hit the dogs with a trash can and they broke off the attack.

The custodian was unable to corral the dogs between two buildings. One dog attacked an arriving motorcycle officer, who was unhurt, and the dog was shot with a bean bag round by another officer....     Read the full story.

06/12/06
Officer fires at biker in Vallejo - Vallejo, CA
A California Highway Patrol officer fired on a motorcyclist in Vallejo Sunday during a chase that ended with the suspect's escape, authorities said.

A statement released by the CHP hours after the event did not indicate whether the rider or his passenger were struck during the shooting on Columbus Parkway near Interstate 80. It did say the suspect was able to continue riding and was not immediately captured.

A CHP spokesman was unavailable later Sunday.

Shortly after noon, a motorcycle officer attempted to pull over two newer-model motorcycles traveling at 85 mph on eastbound Interstate 80 near American Canyon Road, the CHP reported. Each rider had a passenger.

As the officer pulled alongside the first motorcycle to stop it, the driver indicated he understood and yielded to the right shoulder....     Read the full story.

06/12/06
CHP officer nearly run down by motorcyclist - Vallejo, CA
A California Highway Patrol officer narrowly escaped harm Sunday as a motorcyclist tried to run him down on Columbus Parkway near the freeway in Vallejo, the man then fled as the officer fired off a shot.

The officer was not injured, but it was unclear whether the suspect was.

Shortly after noon, a CHP motor officer spotted two motorcycles traveling about 85 mph on eastbound Interstate 80 from the American Canyon Road overcrossing and pursued. He signaled the rear bike - which carried two people - to pull over and the driver began to yield, officials said.

The officer then sped up to catch the lead bike - sporting no license plate and also carrying a passenger - and signaled them to the shoulder. Instead, the occupants took off. The bike reached speeds of 100 mph before exiting at Red Top Road, making two left turns and reentering I-80 west.

Meanwhile, the second motorcycle continued on and did not stop.

A second CHP motorcycle officer, who had monitored the pursuit, stopped a motorcycle matching the suspect's on westbound I-80 at Columbus Parkway and detained the two riders. Realizing a rapidly approaching motorccyle was actually the suspect's, officials said, the officer stepped off his bike and waved for the driver to stop. Instead, the driver reportedly accelerated toward the officer....     Read the full story.

06/12/06
Motorcycle Officer Struck During Parade - Evanston, IL
An Evanston Police officer riding a motorcycle was hit by a vehicle Sunday during a fund-raiser.

Officer Stanley Samson suffered minor injuries, and was treated at a local hospital.

Samson was leading a group of runners on his motorcycle during the annual Torch Run, an event where police officers run to benefit the Special Olympics, according to Evanston City Manager Julia Carroll.

Samson was leading the runners south on Green Bay Road when a driver passed police vehicles traveling on each side of runners, according to Carroll. The driver struck Samson when he tried to return to his original lane, Carroll said....     Read the full story.

06/12/06
Two Motorcycle Drivers Elude Solano CHP after I-80 Chase - Solano, CA
Solano County California Highway Patrol officers are searching for two motorcycle drivers who on Sunday led officers on a chase that reached speeds of more than 100 mph and involved one officer shooting at one of the drivers after being nearly struck, according to CHP spokesman Officer M.A. Williford.

At 12:07 p.m. a Solano CHP motorcycle officer attempted to pull over two motorcycles, both of which had passengers, that were clocked going 85 mph on Interstate Highway 80 eastbound at American Canyon Road near Vallejo, Williford said.

One of the motorcycle drivers appeared to comply and pulled over, while the second accelerated away, reaching speeds of more than 100 mph. The driver of the second motorcycle exited the highway at Red Top Road near Fairfield and then re-entered the highway going westbound, while the driver that had pulled over continued on and did not stop, Williford said.

A second CHP motorcycle officer later saw the same motorcycle that had not stopped exiting Interstate Highway 80 at Columbus Parkway near Vallejo and waved for the driver to pull over. The driver then accelerated toward the officer "in an apparent attempt to strike the officer,'' according to Williford....     Read the full story.

06/13/06
Motorcycle cop leaves hospital day after crash - Evanston, IL
An Evanston motorcycle police officer was released from the hospital Monday after being struck by a car Sunday as he was escorting participants in the Special Olympics Torch Run.

The driver of the car, Leo Finn, 72, of the 1500 block of Forest Avenue, Wilmette, was issued traffic citations for failure to reduce speed and failure to yield to a stopped emergency vehicle, Cmdr. James Pickett said.

He said the police officer, 35, was on his motorcycle escorting the torch run on Green Bay Road when he stopped to block traffic at Central Avenue shortly after 11:30 a.m....     Read the full story.

06/13/06
Officer stable after being hit - Waterbury, CT
Officer Donald Nevins lay in his Waterbury Hospital room Monday with a broken left leg and possibly other injuries after being run over Sunday by a speeding motorcyclist who refused to stop.

Nevins, who was listed in stable condition, said Monday his doctors were still performing tests and checking for soft tissue injuries. He said he hadn't yet been told what course of action doctors would take, or when he would be released, but that he would need physical therapy as part of his rehabilitation....     Read the full story.

06/15/06
Ontario County resurrects motorcycle patrol - Canadaigua, NY
The Ontario County Sheriff’s Department will most likely have a motorcycle patrol on the road by the end of the month.

Geneva Harley-Davidson Sales and Service has agreed to provide a 2006 FLHPI Road King Police Motorcycle for the department to use this summer.

During a meeting Wednesday, the Board of Supervisors’ Financial Management authorized accepting the donation and installing some equipment to get it on the road. The full board is expected to give the same authorization at next week’s meeting.

It’s been about 20 years since the sheriff’s department has had a motorcycle patrol unit, Sheriff Phil Povero said.

The local dealership arranged for the sheriff’s department to use the Road King under a national program with Harley-Davidson, owner Alan Malyj said.

“It’s a goodwill gesture,” he explained, adding that the dealership will retain ownership of the bike and then sell it in October.

Povero said it’s a pilot program this year, and he hopes to get another Road King next year.

The motorcycle can be used for daily patrols, but primarily will be for special events, such as the concerts at the newly renovated Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center, the Hill Cumorah Pageant, the Ontario County Fair and the grape festival in Naples in the fall.

“The big emphasis will be on the ability to put it in high-density traffic,” Povero said, adding it could also be used to make their presence known at EastView Mall in Victor. “It gives us added versatility and flexibility.”...     Read the full story.

06/15/06
Woman indicted for wreck that killed motorcycle officer - Murfreesboro, TN
Grand jurors indicted a driver accused of killing a Murfreesboro Police motorcycle officer in a crash Nov. 8 on Middle Tennessee Boulevard.

Murfreesboro officer Kay Rogers died the next day of injuries suffered during the crash in front of Bellwood School near South Church Street. She was the department’s first woman motorcycle officer.

Driver Shae Suzanne Stelter was charged last Friday with criminally negligent homicide. The indictment stated Stelter’s conduct resulted in Rogers’ death.

At the time of the crash, state trooper Justin Boyd said Rogers drove her motorcycle in the left lane toward South Church Street. Stelter drove in the right lane in front of Rogers. Witnesses reported Stelter attempted to make a U-turn by turning in front of the motorcycle.

“The motorcycle hit the center of the driver’s door,” Boyd said. “She (Stelter) stated she had missed her turn and was turning around to go back.”...     Read the full story.

06/15/06
Arrest made in connection with police shooting - Vallejo, CA
...The CHP said Aton, who was carrying a female passenger, allegedly fled a motorcycle officer who tried to stop him and another bike for speeding Sunday on eastbound Interstate 80 near the American Canyon Road exit. Aton reached 100 mph before exiting at Red Top Road and the other bike got away, the CHP said.

Aton immediately entered westbound lanes before exiting at Columbus Parkway, the CHP said. A second officer who had gotten off his motorcycle in the area saw Aton exit and flagged him to stop, the CHP said....     Read the full story.

06/15/06
Motorcycle cop leaves hospital after crash - Evanston, IL
An Evanston police traffic officer escaped serious injury Sunday after he was struck and injured by a motorist at Central Street and Green Bay Road while escorting participants in the Special Olympics Torch Run proceeding down Green Bay Road.

Officer Stanley Samson had stopped his department-issued motorcyle at the intersection at about 11:38 a.m., and was in the process of stopping westbound traffic when his bike was struck by a car, a 1995 Saab.

The impact caused the officer, who was wearing a helmet, to be thrown from his motorcyle and on to the pavement, said Cmdr. James A. Pickett, of the Evanston Police Department's criminal investigations unit....     Read the full story.

06/16/06
LAPD Motorcycle Officer Hurt While Assisting at Crash Scene - Anaheim, CA
An off-duty Los Angeles police motorcycle officer who was turning around at the scene of a deadly motorcycle accident near Disneyland was struck by a sport utility vehicle and badly injured Friday morning.

Officer Mike Toth, who is assigned to the West Traffic Division, was on his way to work when he came across the scene of a deadly motorcycle wreck on Disneyland Drive just north of Magic Way about 2:30 a.m., according to Los Angeles police and Anaheim police Sgt. Rick Martinez. The officer was making a u-turn at the intersection to check the accident out when he was struck by a red GMC Envoy at about 4:30 a.m.. The Envoy then hit a traffic signal and went over the curb.

Toth, who is married with two children, was taken to UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange, where he was reported in critical but stable condition, said Los Angeles police Lt. Paul Vernon. The woman driving the SUV was taken to a hospital, but not believed to be seriously hurt, Martinez said....     Read the full story.

06/16/06
LA police motorcycle officer in critical condition after crash - Anaheim, CA
Police officials in Anaheim say an L-A police motorcycle officer who was struck by an S-U-V when he made a U-turn around the scene of a deadly motorcycle accident near Disneyland remains in critical condition.

Police Sergeant Rick Martinez says Officer Mike Toth was off duty and on his way to work when the 4:30 a-m crash took place on Disneyland Drive.

Parts of the road were closed this morning because of investigation into the crash....     Read the full story.

06/16/06
Leased lightning - Topsfield, MA
When the Topsfield Fair comes to town each fall, local police are there in force to make sure it runs as smoothly as possible. To return the favor, the Essex Agricultural Society, which oversees the fair, has been helping pay for some of the Police Department’s equipment. For the second year in a row, the society agreed to pick up the lease for a Harley Davidson patrol motorcycle.

Essex Agricultural Society President James O’Brien said the lease is a sign of the society helping the town when money is tight.

"We want to be a partner with the town," O’Brien said.

This year the lease for a Harley is $3,200, up from the first year when it cost $2,800.

Topsfield Police Chief Daniel O’Shea said the arrangement is a logical partnership since the cycle is used so much during the fair.

"It’s good for the community and it’s good for the fair," he said.

The advantage a motorcycle has over a cruiser at the fair is its ability to weave around obstacles with little space and find parking just about anywhere, cutting response time when seconds can mean the difference between disaster and relief. During the fair, the leasing company loans the department a second Harley Davidson free of charge....     Read the full story.

06/16/06
Pleasant Grove police to get new Harleys for free - Pleasant Grove, UT
Pleasant Grove police will get new Harley-Davidson motorcycles this year -- for free.

Five years ago the department added motorcycle cops to its crime-fighting arsenal, purchasing two Harley-Davidsons for about $15,000 apiece -- $10,000 less than the public pays, thanks to a special offer from the company to police departments, said Capt. Cody Cullimore of the Pleasant Grove police.

"We get an unbelievable deal on them," he said. "It's a tradition in America that Harley-Davidson is a police motorcycle."

About two years later the police auctioned those motorcycles off for about what the city paid, allowing the city to buy two new motorcycles, which keeps the machines under warranty and ensures the city is using the best equipment, he said.

Now the city has purchased two new motorcycles and will auction off its existing motorcycles, and expects to come out even from the deal again, even after paying extra to have flashing lights, radio and radar systems installed, he said.

The city is now accepting sealed bids on the motorcycles, one of which has 4,000 miles on it, with 6,000 on the second, he said. The sealed-bid auction could end as early as Monday.

"They've been well taken care of and that is why people like to get them," he said. "We keep maintenance records on them and we take care of them and people know that."

The city purchased its new motorcycles a month ago and has just finished outfitting them with lights, radios, etc., and the city's new logo, which adds two green trees and a hill to the right of the words "Pleasant Grove Police," above which is an eagle. The motorcycles went into use this week for the first time....     Read the full story.

06/18/06
3rd Annual Deputy Memorial Motorcycle Ride held - Sayre, PA
136 strong, engines roaring, a large contingent of motorcycles of all sizes (some with passengers riding with the operators) departed from the Waverly/Barton Fire Station on the Donnelly Parkway Sunday, escorted by members of the Bradford County Sheriff's Department and the Owego Police Motorcycle Unit on an 88-mile ride (the Third Annual Deputy Memorial Motorcycle Ride) in memory of two Bradford County Sheriff's deputies who were shot and killed while attempting serve warrants more than two years ago.

The deputies - Michael VanKuren and Christopher Burgert - were reportedly shot by Dustin F. Briggs, 29, of Gillett, as they attempted to serve warrants on Briggs' father's property March 31, 2004. Briggs, convicted by a jury of murder and sentenced to death for the fatal shootings, is currently being held in the Camp Hill State Correctional Facility, pending the hearing of his appeal in Bradford County Court Sept. 12....     Read the full story.

06/19/06
Officer injured in motorcycle accident - Bakersfield, CA
A Bakersfield Police officer is recovering from injuries received in a traffic accident Monday. A motorcycle officer Dustin Hamilton was going through the intersection of New Stine Road and Stockdale Highway, when he was hit by a car driven by Arlene Goen, 41, according to Bakersfield Police.

Hamilton was responding to a crash with his lights and siren on....     Read the full story.

06/20/06
Cop Charged After Live-In Girlfriend Rejects Group Sex - Clearwater, FL
Group sex apparently isn't her thing.

A 15-year Clearwater police officer was charged with domestic abuse Sunday by the Pasco County Sheriff's office after he alleged beat his live-in girlfriend for refusing to engage in group sex.

Police said that Nicholas Brems, 43, a motorcycle officer, appeared to be drunk at the time of his arrest. Police had been called about 6:30 p.m. after the couple got into an argument when he suggested they participate in group sex with other couples. According to the report, when his live-in girlfriend refused his offer, he began shoving and punching her, causing bruises and a head injury....     Read the full story.

06/23/06
Cycle patrol delayed - Geneva, NY
Canandaigua City Supervisor Skip Buck Thursday night put the brakes on spending $2,700 to support an Ontario County Sheriff’s Department motorcycle patrol this summer.

Employing a seldom-used procedure for a single supervisor to delay a vote, Buck laid over a resolution to authorize $2,700 for a radio, siren and other equipment for a Harley-Davidson that’s been donated to the department for use this season.

Supervisors must vote on the resolution when they meet again in three weeks.

In a separate resolution last night, supervisors unanimously agreed to accept the 2006 FLHPI Road King Police Motorcycle from Geneva Harley-Davidson Sales and Service.

Buck said later he had some concerns with the transaction, questioning whether the sheriff’s department should accept the motorcycle for free.

“I don’t know if you can get something for nothing,” he said after yesterday’s Board of Supervisors’ meeting.

He also questioned why the sheriff’s department would want a motorcycle if the agreement with Geneva Harley-Davidson would only be for this summer....     Read the full story.

06/23/06
Motorcycle patrol returns to town - Bellingham, MA
In one way, motorcycles represent icons for rebellion and lawlessness - think James Dean (who at one point during his brief life owned seven bikes), or the signature mode of transportation for the Hell’s Angels gang.

But helping keep law and order in town is at the heart of a move to restore the Police Department’s motorcycle patrol, and officers Brian Kutcher and John Melanson could not be happier.

"It’s like having my cake and eating it too," said Kutcher, a self-admitted motorcycle enthusiast who along with Melanson, share responsibilities for manning the department’s recently revived motorcycle program, which had been shelved for the past two years.

Started six years ago by now-retired Sgt. Glen Whitten, Bellingham’s motorcycle patrol had been shelved in 2004 after community policing money, which funded it, was reduced.

"When that money started shrinking, I didn’t renew the (motorcycle) lease," said Police Chief Gerard Daigle. "I also wanted to see it used more visibly and have more citations written from its patrols."

Melanson understood the reasoning to discontinue the program at the time, but he never stopped planning and lobbying for its eventual return. A conversation he had just after the attacks of Sept. 11 with a couple of area business owners, let Melanson know that if the motorcycle patrol was ever in need, it had willing financial supporters at Marty’s Auto and Bevilacqua Paving

Working to get a green light to restart the motorcycle patrol this spring, Melanson called Steve Bevilacqua, owner of Bevilacqua paving to see if his offer to help still stood....     Read the full story.

06/25/06
Son asks for honor to lawman - Fayetteville, KY
...The Fayetteville City Council will hold a public hearing Monday on the request. The council will make a recommendation to the state Department of Transportation on McLaurin’s request.

Woody McLaurin said he made the request because he’s seen bridges throughout the state bearing the name of other officers killed in the line of duty.

He requested the Person Street bridge because his father routinely crossed it to return to Eastover, where he was born.

The current bridge opened in November 2005, after almost three years of construction. It replaced a bridge dedicated Oct. 19, 1937, to the soldiers and sailors of World War I.

Bobby McLaurin said his father was fair to everyone. Newspaper articles on his death describe him as one of the most popular officers on the police force.

Woody McLaurin became a Fayetteville police officer in April 1944. He became a motorcycle officer in February 1946. His funeral procession, Bobby McLaurin said, was 10 miles long.

“Fayetteville ought to do something to honor its police,” Bobby McLaurin said.     Read the full story.

06/28/06
ISP motorcycle unit hits the road - Springfield, IL
The newly created state police motorcycle unit rolled out Tuesday with the goal of reducing fatalities on Illinois highways.

Larry Trent, director of the Illinois State Police, said motorcycle patrols will be harder for speeders to detect.

"Those that travel the same routes all the time know the crossovers where our troopers park, they know the appropriate places to slow down if they want to avoid a ticket," he said. "They are going to be surprised. Motorcycles are hard to see."

The Illinois State Police has 42 motorcycle patrol officers with plans to expand to 50.

The motorcycles, training, uniforms and equipment cost more than $500,000 and were paid for with an Illinois Department of Transportation grant....     Read the full story.

06/28/06
Harleys on patrol: Illinois State Police unveil new way for troopers to rule roads - Springfield, IL
Speeders and other traffic scofflaws in central Illinois soon may be surprised to find that the red and blue flashing lights in their rearview mirrors are not on a police squad car, but rather on a zippy Harley-Davidson motorcycle manned by a state trooper.

The Illinois State Police Motorcycle Enforcement Bureau was unveiled Tuesday on the Old Capitol Plaza. More than 20 bikes and troopers lined the plaza in front of the Old State Capitol as the new program was introduced.

Forty-two newly trained motorcycle patrol officers hit the highways to watch for impaired drivers and enforce speed limits, safety belt laws and the rules of the road. Nine of those troopers are based in Springfield while the rest are spread out in five other platoons across the state.

The state police had motorcycle patrols when the agency was formed in the early 1920s. For years, troopers patrolled the highways on surplus World War I motorcycles.

“It’s been a long time since people traveling on the interstates have had to watch out for (police) motorcycles,” state police director Larry Trent said Tuesday. “They’re going to be surprised. It’s going to be something new.”...     Read the full story.

06/28/06
Officer injured in DeKalb accident - DeKalb, GA
A DeKalb police motorcycle officer was in stable condition after a car struck him on Covington Highway on Wednesday, police spokesman Herschel Grangent said.

Grangent said an elderly woman was driving a burgundy Chevrolet Impala which struck the motorcycle about 2:45 p.m. just east of I-285, Grangent said. He said witnesses reported the woman made an improper lane change. The woman pulled into a parking lot and notified police, he said....     Read the full story.

06/29/06
Search On For Man Impersonating Police Officer - Hemet, CA
Riverside County sheriff's deputies were searching Thursday for a man impersonating a police motorcycle officer and who may be preying on lone female motorists in remote areas.

Sheriff's officials said a motorcyclist wearing a tan uniform and a gold or bronze helmet forced a female motorist from the roadway at 12:03 a.m. Tuesday on Highway 74, one mile east of Highway 243 near Mountain Center.

He ordered the woman, who was on her way home from work, out of the car. When she didn't move fast enough he yanked her out of the car by her arm, according to the Sheriff's Department.

A passing motorist slowed down and asked the officer if he needed help. The phony officer yelled at the motorist to leave, sheriff's deputies said....     Read the full story.

06/29/06
Motorcycle officer injured in accident - Houston, TX
A Houston police officer was taken to the hospital Thursday morning after getting into an accident while on his motorcycle.

Officials said a female driver going down Harvey pulled in front of Officer Eric Olsen just before 9 a.m....     Read the full story.

06/29/06
Woman escapes unharmed from bogus officer - Garner Valley, CA
Riverside County sheriff's deputies are looking for a motorcyclist posing as a police officer who they say stopped and accosted a female driver in the mountains east of Hemet before being scared off.

Detective Sgt. Ken Navickis said Thursday that more officers will be assigned to patrol the area.

The woman told authorities she had been driving home from work shortly after midnight Tuesday when a man in his late 30s, dressed like a police officer, motioned for her to pull over on Highway 74, one mile west of Lake Hemet.

The bogus officer, who used an unknown type of white light to make the woman stop, ordered her out of the vehicle, officials said. When she did not move fast enough, the man grabbed her arm and pulled her onto the roadway.

A passing motorist stopped and asked the uniformed man if he needed help, authorities said. The motorist was ordered to leave. The bogus officer, who had some type of patches on his clothing, then left on his motorcycle, heading west on Highway 74 toward Hemet. There was no emergency police equipment on the motorcycle, Navickis said.

Navickis stressed that motorists who suspect that a man or woman may be impersonating an officer can ask for identification, call 911 and lock their doors....     Read the full story.



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