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


03/01/06
Motorist pleads innocent in death of SoCal CHP officer - Victorville, CA
A driver who was allegedly drunk when he struck and killed a California Highway Patrol officer last weekend pleaded innocent to vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, authorities said.

Domingo Esqueda, 20, could face up to 16 years in prison if convicted of killing motorcycle officer John Bailey, 36, who was married and had four children. Esqueda was arraigned Tuesday in San Bernardino County Superior Court in Victorville.

Authorities say Bailey was driving home to Adelanto Saturday night when he pulled over another motorist for investigation of drunk driving on Interstate 15 near Hesperia.

Bailey was talking with the motorist on the side of the road when he was struck by Esqueda, who had been driving on the shoulder, authorities said. Esqueda's car then struck the vehicle that Bailey had stopped, officials said....     Read the full story.

03/01/06
Man On Trial For Attempting To Run Over Cops - Austin, TX
There were shots fired, spikes thrown, police on the chase. A man stands accused of trying to run over some Austin police officers - twice!

Dashboard camera video show a pursuit with Bradley Jarrell refusing to pull over.

During the hour long, slow chase, police threw spikes.

A motorcycle cop even jumped off his bike to get out the way of Jarrell's vehicle.

Ultimately, officers fired at the car, which ended the chase.

The defense says that Jarrell didn't try to hurt anyone....     Read the full story.

03/01/06
Police shoot man when he refuses to drop gun - Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis Police motorcycle cops out to catch speeders ended up face-to-face with a gunman.

It happened just after two o'clock Wednesday afternoon as officers Andy Haniford and Christopher Meyers set up radar near 14th Street and Illinois.

The two officers heard arguing nearby and then heard something much more dangerous.

"They heard what they believe was a small caliber handgun had discharged," explains IPD's Judy Phillips. "They went to investigate."

Their investigation lead them to two men fighting, one with a handgun.

Officer Meyers ordered him to drop it....     Read the full story.

03/01/06
Not-Guilty Plea in CHP Death - San Bernardino, CA
The alleged drunk driver accused of killing a California Highway Patrol officer last weekend pleaded not guilty Tuesday to vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, authorities said.

Domingo Esqueda, 20, who was arraigned in San Bernardino County Superior Court in Victorville, could face up to 16 years in prison if convicted.

Motorcycle Officer John Bailey, 36, was driving home to Adelanto on Saturday night when he pulled over another motorist, Francisco J. Trujillo, on suspicion of drunk driving on Interstate 15 near Hesperia.

Bailey was talking with Trujillo on the side of the road when, authorities said, Esqueda veered off the road. His car smashed into the officer's motorcycle and Trujillo's pickup, then struck Bailey, authorities said....     Read the full story.

03/02/06
Holly Hill adds motorcycle to cop fleet - Holly Hill, FL
With Bike Week starting tomorrow, Holly Hill commissioners approved a lease to add a new Harley Davidson Police Road King to the current fleet of 16 four-wheeled police vehicles.

The two-year lease with Daytona Harley Davidson will cost the city $250 per month with no limitation on mileage.

At the end of the lease, the city can extend the lease or return the bike.

Holly Hill is one of the few communities in the area without police motorcycles, although the city did have a police bike back in the late 1980s.

Motorcycle officers will receive special training, along with specialized uniforms to increase their safety....     Read the full story.

03/04/06
Mourners pay tribute to slain CHP officer - San Bernardino, CA
Three volleys of rifle fire shattered the silence Friday as hundreds of mourners gathered outside The Rock church to pay tribute to slain California Highway Patrol Officer Gregory John Bailey.

The gun fire crackled through gray skies after a memorial service to honor a man who spent much of his adult life in uniform. Bailey, 36, was eulogized as a soldier of the law and his country. He was also called a "cowboy" who wore custom-made hats and boots and was devoted to his family. Bailey left a wife and four children when he was struck down in the line of duty by a man accused of drunken driving.

"It is never easy to say goodbye to someone who meant so much to so many. But John lives on in the deeds he performed," CHP Capt. Lynne Jones said. Jones leads the station in Rancho Cucamonga where Bailey worked as a motorcycle officer.

Before spending nine years policing Inland Empire roads in the Highway Patrol, Bailey served as a helicopter mechanic in the Army, which he joined after finishing high school in 1987. While a member of the CHP, he also wore the uniform of the California National Guard. Bailey returned from a tour of duty in Iraq in November.

A fellow Guardsmen, Sgt. "Tanker" Roncal, he said everyone in the Guard knows him as tanker) said that in Iraq, Bailey was in charge of fixing Blackhawk helicopters that Roncal and other soldiers used when they flew on missions. At war, Bailey played a vital role in motivating Guardsmen to work as a team, Roncal said after the memorial service.

"He made it one unit. He made it a functional unit," Roncal said. "They got the right guy."

When not wearing a uniform, Bailey was a "true cowboy from head to toe" who wore custom-made gear from Arizona and Las Vegas and felt at home listening to country music while drinking Coors Light with his pals, said a friend, Mike Walker.

Friday's memorial service marked an especially difficult time for officers because several Highway Patrol officers have died in recent months, said CHP Inland Division chief John Fogerty said. When Bailey was killed by the suspected drunken driver on Feb. 25, it was the sixth death in five months for the patrol....     Read the full story.

03/04/06
A Final '10-10' for a CHP Officer - San Bernardino, CA
The funeral for California Highway Patrol Officer John Bailey on Friday ended with a recording of him signing off from his final shift: "10-10," the dispatch code that signals a patrol officer is heading home.

Bailey, 36, who was killed Feb. 25 by a suspected drunk driver, was remembered during a three-hour memorial as, one supervisor said, a "cowboy to the rescue."

Speakers described Bailey as a man devoted to his wife, Teresa, and their four young children, and to his service in the U.S. Army, the California National Guard and the Highway Patrol.

"Every time I ride, I will carry him with me," said fellow CHP motorcycle Officer Mike Hootman during his eulogy at the Rock Church and World Outreach Center in San Bernardino.

"Take it easy, buddy. I'll see you later," Hootman said.

A 10-year veteran of the CHP, Bailey was killed after he pulled over a suspected drunk driver on Interstate 15 near Hesperia. He made the stop while he was heading home after the end of his shift.

A second suspected drunk driver careened off the road, striking and killing Bailey. Domingo Esqueda, 20, has pleaded not guilty to three felony charges, including vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.

Bailey was the sixth Highway Patrol officer to be killed on duty in the last five months — a string of deaths that prompted CHP Commissioner Michael Brown this week to order that patrol officers be debriefed to see if immediate changes in department policies were needed.

The most CHP fatalities in one year came in 1964, when eight officers were killed.

"We will make this passing meaningful, hopefully, for all of us that carry a badge," a visibly shaken Brown told hundreds of people in the cavernous church.

The funeral's guest book read like a roster of Southern California law enforcement agencies. State officials — including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante and gubernatorial candidates Treasurer Phil Angelides and Controller Steve Westly — sat among the green and beige uniforms.

Highway Patrol and military officers had taken turns since 7:30 a.m. standing as bookends to Bailey's casket, draped with an American flag.

"It seems fitting in John's memory that we take over his watch," said CHP Capt. Lynne Jones.

Born in Michigan, Bailey moved with his family to rural Thurmont, Md., when he and his sister were young. Aimee Bailey recalled a playful older brother who chased her with bugs and lizards and later taught her to drive a stick-shift.

"I thought the two of us would grow old," she told mourners.

After high school, Bailey trained as a helicopter mechanic in the Army, repairing Blackhawks. He entered the CHP academy in 1995, spending five years in the Barstow station before transferring to Rancho Cucamonga to become a motorcycle officer....     Read the full story.

03/04/06
Grieving sis: Be at peace, Imette - Boston, MA
They said goodbye to Imette St. Guillen yesterday with heart-tugging poems, stories from her promising life and a flood of tears over her violent end.

A week after the vivacious graduate student was brutally slain, an overflow crowd of friends and relatives remembered her as a remarkable person and unforgettable light in their lives.

"You are everything any parent could want in a child," her mother, Maureen St. Guillen, said at the William J. Gormley Funeral Home in West Roxbury, Mass. "You were - and are - the love of my life."

Sobbing on the dais of the funeral home, Alejandra St. Guillen, the murdered student's only sister, insisted that she would never stop saying farewell.

"I want to wrap my arms around you and take away every ounce of pain you experienced," said Alejandra, who read a poem about their father, who died when they were children.

"Be at peace, Imette," she said. "I love you always."

Hundreds of mourners filled the funeral home and scores more stood outside in bitter single-digit temperatures to listen to the service on a public address system.

An honor guard from the Boston Police Department motorcycle unit, where Imette St. Guillen's half-brother works as a cop, stood at attention....     Read the full story.

03/07/06
CHP trying to come to terms with deaths - Sacramento, CA
California Highway Patrol officers began reviewing safety procedures on Tuesday and discussing their feelings and concerns over how to better protect themselves on the job in the wake of the on-duty deaths of six of their fellow officers in the past six months.

"We know the organization is feeling the effects of (the deaths),'' said Fran Clader, a spokeswoman at the CHP's headquarters in Sacramento. "There's a lot of emotion.

"Officers might be angry, frustrated, upset, hurt," she said. "We wanted to provide an opportunity to meet and discuss what happened and to see how folks are doing. It's a welfare check of sorts.''

Commissioner Michael Brown called for a statewide "stand down" at the Highway Patrol's 108 field offices on Monday, two days after one of his officers was struck and killed by a drunken driver in Southern California.

Brown later relabeled it a "review" to make it clear that officers will continue to patrol the highways as usual. But officers were also encouraged to discuss their feelings and concerns, Clader said, and grief counseling was made available.

The review began Tuesday with meetings all over the state. While it originally had been scheduled to last two days, it will continue for several days to make sure that all officers have a chance to participate, said Sgt. Wayne Ziese, a spokesman for the CHP's Bay Area division.

"We'll make sure that every officer is contacted and heard and provided some measures of training,'' Ziese said.

Ziese said it is too early to determine what changes may come out of the discussions. But he said many officers are questioning whether they're being pushed too hard and whether the Highway Patrol's chronic understaffing -- the number of officers hasn't changed in about four decades -- has reached the point where it is endangering officers.

The discussions could also look at how officers approach vehicles and how and where they pull over vehicles, perhaps using freeway and highway off-ramps instead of shoulders.

While the discussions will focus on safety procedures, Clader and Ziese said that investigations of the six deaths have thus far found nothing that indicates the officers failed to follow CHP policies.

"Everything the officers did in each of these occasions was right,'' Clader said.

The most recent death occurred Saturday night in Southern California when motorcycle Officer Gregory Bailey, 36, was struck by a drunken driver on Interstate 15, 80 miles east of Los Angeles after he pulled over another suspected drunken driver....     Read the full story.

03/08/06
LAUSD police break up fight at Gardena High - Gardena, CA
Los Angeles School Police officers were on hand at Gardena High School on Tuesday to break up a lunchtime fistfight between two black students and a Latino student.

Nobody was arrested, but school officials cut the lunch break short in order to prevent the violence from spreading. After lunch, the school returned to its normal bell schedule.

Six patrol cars and the department's motor strike force, a six-person team of motorcycle officers, were on campus....     Read the full story.

03/08/06
State Police To Get More Motorcycles - Chicago, IL
The image of an Illinois State Trooper zipping along a Chicago expressway or downstate Interstate curbing a speeder on a motorcycle has been just that in recent years -- an image.

In reality, Illinois state troopers have not used motorcycles for traffic enforcement for several years. The department has only half a dozen troopers qualified to ride the 11 remaining cycles, which have been relegated to use in escorts and for ceremonial purposes.

WBBM's Bob Roberts reports that's changing.

The agency will use a $500 thousand federal grant to lease nearly 40 motorcycles.

State Police M/Sgt. Rick Hector said by summer, the department will deploy 50 motorcycles in six platoons that will roam the roads of Illinois instead of being attached to specific districts.

"We could even have 50 motorcycles working on a certain stretch of Interstate trying to (achieve) voluntary compliance," he said.

Hector says the Harley-Davidsons are highly maneuverable and will be used to spot motorists speeding, changing lanes improperly, failing to wear seat belts, driving drunk and following too closely....     Read the full story.

03/11/06
The deal on two wheels - Bellevue, NE
The cycle of motorcycles continues.

Every year the Bellevue Police Department turns in the bikes they leased last year in exchange for a brand new set of Harley-Davidsons. This year is no different - to a point.

For the first time, the lease for six motorcycles was brought to City Council where it was approved for the coming year, said Police Chief John Stacey. This keeps a relatively new partnership between the department and Dillon Brothers Harley Davidson out of Omaha running smoothly.

The current deal is more convenient than a few years ago. Before, BPD worked with a shop in Ankeny, Iowa, said Sgt. Larry Lampman, who until recently rode the bikes, but now teaches motorcycle training for the department. Now, it's just a short trip to northwest Omaha.

The dealership can also profit by taking the relatively new bikes and making them available to the public. There are a couple benefits, including that police take good care of the bikes and they will still have a year warranty left.

"We have some customers who just want police bikes," Hill said. "That might be it more than anything. Police bikes used to have supercharged engines and stuff like that, but that's not the case here."

The bikes don't get more than 6,000 miles during the course of the year, Lampman said, but they do "ride them hard." Getting the new bikes each year is nice, but not a big deal.

"These bikes you could put a 100,000 miles on them and they'd still run good," he said.

The department is sticking with Harleys for now. Lampman said they use them because they trained on Harleys, plus Kawasaki doesn't make a police bike anymore. The only downside is the Harley can get hot.

The department's lease is for $200 per year for each bike. They also are required to take the motorcycles to Dillon Brothers for maintenance and pay for that upkeep not under warranty....     Read the full story.

03/11/06
State motorcycle cops a tool that could work -Bloomington Pantagraph, IL
Motorcycles have their limitations as law enforcement tools. But using them to beef up Illinois State Police traffic patrols in targeted "hot spots" is worth a try.

The state plans to establish six "platoons" of specially trained troopers on up to 35 motorcycles using $550,000 in federal funds designated for traffic law enforcement. One platoon will be assigned to Central Illinois, but it will not be limited by police district boundaries, as regular patrols are. We like that idea. It provides greater flexibility and more freedom to put the troopers where they are most needed.

With several interstate highways in the Pantagraph area - particularly the Twin Cities, with Interstates 39, 55 and 74 - improved traffic enforcement would be beneficial.

In essence, state police will be going back to their roots with these units. According to the Illinois State Police Web site, the department began in 1922 as "a few leather helmet-clad men patrolling the highways on motorcycles."

Modern equipment “ particularly upgraded helmets “ will provide improved safety and effectiveness compared to their 1920s counterparts.

Police hope that, among other things, the element of surprise will help them catch more speeders, as well as motorists violating laws on lane usage, drunken driving, following too closely and seat belts. Motorists are less likely to recognize the motorcycle on patrol or on the side of the road as a police vehicle.

However, while being "inconspicuous" is good for catching speeders, it has the potential for creating hazardous duty. We don't want to see more police hurt and higher insurance costs because of this initiative.

On the other hand, if word spreads that police are riding motorcycles, perhaps motorists will keep a closer watch for them - thereby making the roads safer for all motorcyclists.

The greater maneuverability of motorcycles is cited by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as an advantage in catching lawbreakers, particularly in congested areas....     Read the full story.

03/11/06
Autopsy shows witness’s gunfire fatal - Baton Rouge, LA
The bullet a Baton Rouge Police officer fired into a business owner on Feb. 17 caused minor injuries, according to the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office.

Officer Brian Harrison, 32, shot George Temple II, 24, in the abdomen, says Temple’s autopsy report, which the Coroner’s Office released on Friday.

The shot was fired during a scuffle between the two men in the parking lot of the AutoZone at 9007 Greenwell Springs Road, authorities have said.

“This type of shot would not have incapacitated someone,” said Don Moreau, chief of operations for the Coroner’s Office. “It struck no bone or no major organs. He would have lived from this with proper medical attention. It was not a fatal injury.”

Five serial shots from witness Perry Stephens, 56, caused major injuries and ultimately killed Temple, the report says.

Two of those shots hit Temple’s left lung. Two more perforated his back chest skin and his upper back and lower neck. One shot hit Temple’s brain, the report says.

“The brain shot killed him,” Moreau said. “The other shots, eventually, probably would have killed him.”

A toxicology report released earlier this week by the Coroner’s Office shows that Temple had no drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of the incident.

Col. Greg Phares, chief criminal deputy for the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, said Wednesday that an attempt by Temple to bribe Harrison is what led to a fight that escalated into the shooting.

Harrison told investigators Temple tried to bribe him as he was writing Temple a traffic ticket, Phares said.

Harrison, who was off-duty working as a motorcycle escort for a funeral procession, pulled Temple’s Mercedes Benz into the AutoZone parking lot after Temple cut into the procession, Phares said.

After Temple attempted to bribe him, Harrison told investigators he tried to arrest Temple, Phares said. That’s when Temple punched Harrison and overpowered him....     Read the full story.

03/13/06
For motorcycle officers, commuting can be risky - Sacramento, CA
Motorcycle officers in the California Highway Patrol, and other agencies nationwide, who take their rides home are routinely hurt just getting to and from work, two recent studies found.

From 2002 to 2005, 37 percent of motorcycle accidents in the CHP division covering Los Angeles happened during commutes, according to a CHP report obtained by The Bee. What's more, these accidents resulted in more severe injuries than those during patrols, perhaps because the officers were going faster on the open freeway on the long rides home.

Nationwide, almost a quarter of police motorcycle accidents occurred during travel to or from work, according to Motorcops.com, a Web site that this year surveyed 350 law enforcement agencies, including 20 in California.

Motorcycle officers face danger not just from riding, but also from getting involved in traffic stops or other incidents while commuting.

Two weeks ago, Officer John Bailey died during a traffic stop he made as he was riding home on Interstate 15 in San Bernardino County. Bailey's death - and five others in five months from a variety of causes - triggered a 48-hour review of safety procedures by the department's 7,000-plus officers.

Police agencies tout the benefits of allowing officers to take home their bikes, from the added visibility on the highways to officers taking better care of motorcycles they ride. Officers, in turn, get a free ride to work.

"The majority of departments ... see it as a great extra to the department," said Mark Kopang, who started Motorcops.com and did the survey in consultation with law enforcement officials. "They're essentially on duty from the time they get on their bikes in the morning to the time they get home in the evening."...     Read the full story.

03/14/06
Motorcycle Cops Struck by Car - DeKalb, GA
Two motorcycle officers in DeKalb County have been released from the hospital where they were treated after being struck by a car.

The officers were checking for speeders and people passing school buses unlawfully on Buford Highway Monday afternoon when a senior female driver swerved around them and struck them. The driver, Hazel Youngblood, said she was attempting to avoid hitting a car that had stopped suddenly....     Read the full story.

03/15/06
Oregon State Police Portland Trooper Recognized As Trooper Of The Quarter - Portland, OR
...SENIOR TROOPER MICHAEL BATES, age 37, is an 8 1/2-year OSP veteran who has been assigned during that time to OSP offices in Arlington, Government Camp, and Portland. Since June 2004, SENIOR TROOPER BATES has been assigned to the OSP Motorcycle Unit.

"Senior Trooper Bates work effort and positive attitude even in the most demanding or trying circumstances is second to none," said Sergeant Tom Worthy, who submitted the nomination selected from a group of other nominees. "He makes hundreds of enforcement contacts during his work week, and his professional demeanor evokes the respect of the public."

In addition to his Motorcycle Unit assignment, SENIOR TROOPER BATES assists with coordinating team training, participates in numerous special enforcement operations, manages two large safety corridor overtime grants, and is currently training one of OSP's newly graduated recruit troopers...     Read the full story.

03/20/06
New Motorcycle Unit in gear - Asbury, NJ
The motorcycles are here to stay.

After a two-year pilot program, the New Jersey State Police Motorcycle Unit — based in the Holmdel barracks on the Garden State Parkway — will become a permanent fixture.

Col. Joseph "Rick" Fuentes, the State Police superintendent, decided earlier this month to keep the motorcycles on a permanent basis, said Capt. Richard Rosell, a member of the colonel's executive staff.

The four Harley-Davidsons, as well as the seven state troopers trained to use the bikes, have shown their worth during Parkway traffic patrols, crowd control at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford and the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel as well as at ceremonial duties throughout the state, Rosell said.

Now, Fuentes and his staff want to increase the number of troopers trained to use the bikes and expand the unit's responsibilities to limited duties on other state roads, such as the New Jersey Turnpike.

"Right now, I have seven years left and I want to stay on the bikes and see this thing grow as long as they let me," said Sgt. Michael Ambrosio, whose master's thesis and proposal for the Motorcycle Unit rekindled interest in the bikes.

After a nearly 50-year hiatus, the Motorcycle Unit officially began a new life with the State Police in March 2004, when the four Harley-Davidson bikes, which cost about $30,000 each, were unveiled at a ceremony in West Trenton.

In the past 15 years, the use of motorcycles by police departments in New Jersey and elsewhere have increased. Last week, the Jackson Police Department announced it had purchased its first motorcycle to start a new unit.

Departments have found the bikes useful tools in crowd and traffic situations as a way to cut down on response time.

For example, Rosell said the State Police motorcycles were able to respond to a fight at the Meadowlands in less than a minute. Traditional patrol cars could not maneuver through the crowd as easily and officers on foot would have to take longer to get to the scene.

In addition, new safety features, such as anti-lock brakes, advanced training and better protective clothing, help reduce the number of officer-related accidents, which plagued the original State Police unit from the 1920s to the 1950s, when it was disbanded after 17 troopers died in accidents....     Read the full story.

03/21/06
Barnes returns to work - Culpeper, VA
With support from his family, prayers from the community and the desire to return to his life as a motorcycle officer with the Culpeper Police Department, William W.C. “Rosco” Barnes is back.

The 44-year-old officer was hit by a car and severely injured in August while directing funeral traffic on U.S. 522.

He sustained severe head injuries and nine fractures in his arms, legs and skull from the accident, which sent him to the U.Va. Health System for one month of treatment.

He was then transferred to the Health South rehabilitation facility in Charlottesville, where he remained until November, returning home just three days before Thanksgiving.

Now, he still attends weekly physical therapy sessions for some ailments in his knees and wrists but the occupational and speech therapy has ended and Barnes said doctors have marveled at his speedy seven-month recovery.

‘I thank the Lord’

While he’s rearing to go, Barnes returned to work Monday and will serve a part-time schedule where he will be responsible for administrative and assistant duties related to traffic enforcement.

“If it was up to me, I’d be back on a motorcycle,” Barnes said. “But I’m hopeful of being back full time in two months.”

Until his doctors tell him otherwise, Barnes said he will be working on previous assignments, choosing radar spots to monitor speed and installing “classifiers,” which are nailed into the ground to analyze the volume and speed of traffic to validate problem areas, which officers then follow up with increased enforcement.

“I don’t know when I’ll be back full time,” Barnes said. “But it’s a blessing to be alive regardless of what they tell me to do. I’m just happy to be back. I thank the Lord for his blessing for laying his healing hand upon me.”

In addition to physical therapy, the happy and healthy-looking Barnes said he is trying to regain some weight and works out five times per week.

“It’s just going to take a while,” he said. “I still run, but I can’t like I used to.”

From the moment Barnes walked through the familiar doors at the Culpeper Police Department, he said the experience was wonderful and a little emotional.

“When you get handshakes and hugs it’s tough,” Barnes said, “because I didn’t know if I was going to make it back, but the doctors tell me my recovery hasn’t been seen that often at U.Va.”

Barnes does not remember anything from the impact from the crash to about one week before his release from the hospital. Doctors have told him he may never regain that memory.

To test him, Barnes said his doctors give him “brain teasers” by telling him stories and hours later asking him questions about them.

“I tell them I couldn’t do this before I got hit by a car,” Barnes said with a laugh....     Read the full story.

03/25/06
Police officers sue city, claim errors in overtime pay - Walnut Creek, CA
More than 40 current and retired Walnut Creek police officers are seeking back pay plus interest in a federal lawsuit against the city, claiming they were not fully compensated for overtime.

In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court, officers allege the city has violated the Fair Labor Standards Act by calculating their "regular" rate of pay at a lower amount than to which they were entitled. Other California jurisdictions, such as San Francisco and San Mateo counties, are grappling with similar lawsuits filed by sheriff's deputies who allege they have also been underpaid.

"I think it is fair to say the problem exists everywhere," said attorney David Mastagni, who represents the Walnut Creek officers, as well as San Francisco and San Mateo sheriff's deputies. "It's a common problem with the way overtime is calculated in both private and public employment."

No specific dollar amount is named in the suit, and police officials did not have a total dollar figure for how much they claim Walnut Creek police are owed.

Instead of multiplying base hourly pay 11/2 times to calculate overtime, Walnut Creek should have included extras, such as nondiscretionary bonuses, incentive pay, pay differentials and extra compensation or premium pay, the officers claim in a lawsuit filed in September. The trial is set to start in January 2008.

City attorney Tom Haas said Friday that the city has discovered it was not calculating officers' "regular rate" correctly. But the city also discovered that it was including some things in the calculation that were not required. Because of this, "when you did the final calculation, the officers were receiving at least as much as the Fair Labor Standards Act required us to pay them," Haas said.

Officers dispute this and are continuing to push for additional money. In its base pay calculation, the city includes an educational incentive payment of $441 per month, plus motorcycle officer pay of $50 per month, if applicable, Haas said.

The city has not included extra compensation given to police who qualify for senior officer, master officer or master officer II pay. But Haas said the city agrees these extras should be included....     Read the full story.

03/26/06
Motorcycles help cops patrol growing suburbs - Mount Dora, FL
It's not unusual to see a cop riding a motorcycle in heavily populated areas such as Orlando and Orange County. Police motorcycles are quicker than patrol cars, can zip around heavy traffic when rushing to the scene of an accident and are less visible in speed traps.

But in rural areas -- such as many parts of Lake and south Osceola counties -- where there's less traffic, motorcycle cops are a rare find. That's changing in Lake, which is expanding at a quicker rate than any other county in Central Florida and is now the 21st-fastest-growing county in the United States.

The Mount Dora Police Department recently began patrolling city streets with two new Harley-Davidson motorcycles. It follows the Lake County Sheriff's Office, which purchased its first two motorcycles in September and later added two more.

"There's no debate that we're becoming more urbanized," Mount Dora police Chief Randy Scoggins said. "As we continue to grow here, we'll have to increase the patrols. But right now, two [motorcycles] is sufficient for us."

Motorcycle patrols are common in police agencies in heavily populated areas. The Orange County Sheriff's Office, for example, has 34 motorcycles used by 27 deputies.

"For traffic enforcement, they're invaluable," sheriff's spokesman Jim Solomons said. "And they also have the flexibility to get to an accident scene in highly traffic-congested areas very quickly. They can go on the side of the road, on a sidewalk, places that would be very difficult for a patrol car to go."

Motorcycle cops are trained to weave through heavy traffic, avoid debris at crash scenes and jump curbs.

The motorcycles also attract attention from curious citizens when deputies patrol parades or escort dignitaries through town, said Orange sheriff's Cpl. Jeff Elder, who has been part of the agency's motor squad since 2001.

"It's a great job, because when you're doing traffic enforcement, kids come up and talk to you; people want their picture taken standing next to the bike," Elder said Friday, moments after escorting Vice President Dick Cheney, with dozens of other area motorcycle officers, to a fundraising event in Orlando.

"Things like that are a great opportunity," Elder said.

On average, the Orange County Sheriff's Office has about two or three accidents a year involving deputies on motorcycles, Solomons said. Deputies on the sheriff's motor squad will not patrol at night or take part in high-speed chases.

Elder said, "We're top-notch riders. But we're more defensive when it comes to driving than if we were in a patrol car."

The Orlando Police Department has 26 motorcycle officers, including three sergeants and a lieutenant, for enforcing traffic and investigating traffic homicides, police Sgt. Barbara Jones said.

In Osceola County, the Sheriff's Office uses six motorcycles to patrol primarily the north end of the county, including U.S. Highway 192 and Osceola Parkway, where the greatest concentration of the county's residents live.

"It's unlikely you'll see them in the southern end of the county, like near Holopaw," Osceola sheriff's spokeswoman Twis Lizasuain said.

Like the Lake Sheriff's Office, the Leesburg Police Department -- which started using motorcycle patrols in 1996 -- also has four motorcycles.

"Our motor [motorcycle] units are our traffic-enforcement division," Leesburg police Capt. Steve Rockefeller said. "When we're responding to a wreck, our motorcycles can ease by traffic, and they can safely get to the crash."...     Read the full story.

03/27/06
Pascagoula Officer Killed In Motorcycle Accident - Pascagoula, MS
Pascagoula Police Officer Terry Michael Byrd followed his father into law enforcement. Monday Officer Byrd, the son of Jackson County Sheriff Mike Byrd, was killed while driving his patrol motorcycle.

Most knew officer Byrd as "Little Mike." Friends and colleagues say, like his father, Officer Byrd was dedicated to serving the law.

It's the special bond that wearing a badge brings that's left law enforcers across Jackson County in shock. The family of law enforcers offered condolences and support to Sheriff Bryd as he left Singing River Hospital.

"The community itself loses a part of itself when a law enforcement officer losses his or her life. It is as simple as that," Ocean Springs Police Chief Kerry Belk said.

Officer Mike Byrd was riding his patrol motorcycle on Chicot Street shortly before 8am Monday morning when he collided with a car stopped at the Baltimore Street intersection. The impact threw Byrd from the motorcycle. A passing pickup truck then ran over the officer.

Byrd's colleagues on the force who responded to the accident could only console each other.

Ocean Springs Police Chief Kerry Belk says for those who wear a badge, a loss of one, is a loss for all.

"You lose a brother, lose a friend, you lose a companion, you lose someone you trust and depended on," Belk said. "Even though Officer Bryd belonged to another agency, his loss is a loss for all of us in law enforcement, and it is painful."...     Read the full story.

03/27/06
Church Family Remembers Byrd As -A Fine Christian Man - Pascagoula, MS
In law enforcement circles, Officer Byrd was often called "Baby Byrd" or "Tweety Byrd." At First United Methodist Church in Pascagoula, he was affectionately known as "Little Mike."

News of his death Monday morning stunned the congregation, because Officer Byrd played a promiment role in the church.

"Please tell me it's not true. That it didn't. You hear a lot of things. Just tell me that he's really okay," said Gerri Pierce.

Shock and disbelief overcame the staff of First United Methodist Church in Pascagoula, as news of Officer Terry Mike Byrd's death reached the congregation.

"I just couldn't grasp it. I couldn't believe it," said Family Ministries Director Sherry Judy.

"It's such a terrible day in the life of our church," said Pierce.

Church volunteer Marian Bishop is a close friend of the Byrd family. Her children and Byrd grew up together.

"I watched him grow up from a mischievous little boy on up to a fine Christian man," said Bishop.

That Christian man served on several church committees and as a youth director. Where he made his mark was with teens, as a Sunday School teacher for high school students.

"Just the connection he had with those students inside the church and outside in the community," said Minister of Students David Morris. "He was a role model. His love for youth in general really touched me."

His love of children was pretty evident the day he made a proud announcement in church.

Pastor Bruce Taylor said, "He just basically jumped up and said 'I'm going to be a daddy,' And I mean, that was really a high point in his life."

"Little Mike" once thought about joining the ministry. Instead, he chose a career in law enforcement. Because of the spiritual life he led, those who love and respect him know exactly where he is now.

"I know he's got to be with Jesus, and probably being held. God is surrounding his family too, with open arms," Judy said.

This should have been a day filled only with joy for the Byrd family. Shortly before officer Byrd was killed Monday morning, his sister gave birth a daughter....     Read the full story.

03/27/06
Pascagoula policeman dies in traffic accident - Pascagoula, MS
Police officer Mike Byrd Jr., son of Jackson County Sheriff Mike Byrd, suffered fatal injuries Monday when his motorcycle collided with another vehicle, officials said.

Officials said the accident occurred shortly before 8 a.m. near Chicot and Baltimore Streets. WLOX television reported that Byrd was thrown from his police motorcycle and was run over by a passing truck.

Byrd was pronounced dead at Singing River Hospital, officials said. Other details of the accident were not immediately available.

Police Chief Kerry Belk of nearby Ocean Springs said he offered to provide manpower to the Pascagoula Police Department as officers deal with the tragedy....     Read the full story.

03/29/06
Funeral services planned for Byrd - Pascagoula, MS
Funeral services have been announced for Pascagoula Police Officer Terry Micheal Byrd who died from injuries he received in an 7:50 a.m. Monday accident.

Byrd, 26, lost control of his police motorcycle while attempting to avoid a car in the northbound lane of Chicot Road. He was ejected from the motorcycle into the southbound traffic lanes, where he was then struck by a dual-wheel truck.

He was taken by Acadian Ambulance to Singing River Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:30 a.m.

The Terry Micheal Byrd Me-morial Fund has been established for Byrd and his family at Merchants and Marine Bank. The account number is 20-33230 and people can make contributions at any Merchants and Marine Bank.

Byrd is the son of Terri and Mike Byrd of Helena.

Mike Byrd is the sheriff of Jackson County.

A wake for Officer Byrd will be from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. today at First Baptist Church in Pas-cagoula with an honor guard provided by Pascagoula Police Department officers, Jackson County sheriff's deputies and other law en-forcement agencies.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Bruce Taylor, Rev. Earl Greenough, Rev. Robert Kates, Rev. Brad Lewis and Rev. John Gibson officiating. Burial will be in Serene Memorial Gardens in Escatawpa.

Holder-Wells Funeral Home of Moss Point is in charge of arrangements....     Read the full story.

03/30/06
Sheriff calls motorcycle officer, who died in a traffic collision last week, an American hero. - Lancaster, CA
More than 1,000 family members, friends, colleagues and lawmakers honored Wednesday the life of an Agua Dulce sheriff’s deputy who died last week in an Antelope Valley traffic collision.

Sheriff Lee Baca, who expressed his condolences and offered comfort to Deputy Pierre Bain’s wife, Diana Bain, calling the motorcycle officer an American hero.

“Because my son became a deputy, I consider everything that happens to you all to happen to my own,” said Baca during funeral services held at the Lancaster Baptist Church.

Baca said an education fund would be created for Bain’s three daughters, Chantal, 20, Kristina, 19, and Alicia, 17.

“All of us will hold our arms around you in these hard times ahead,” Baca said.

Police officers from departments as far away as Las Vegas and San Diego, as well as state Sen. George Runner, R-Lancaster, and state Attorney General Bill Lockyer, came to pay their respects to a man described by colleagues as a unique character around the Lancaster station.

“There always seems to be a character in every unit,” said Lt. Steve Fredricks, who explained to the audience some of his many quirks on the job.

Station Capt. Carl Deeley also recalled Bain’s sense of humor.

“Pierre was a free spirit in a profession that was not exactly encouraging for people with that spirit,” Deeley said....     Read the full story.

03/30/06
Harley-Davidson helps to kick-start police unit - Jackson, NJ
It isn't very often that a police department gets a $19,000 gift like this one.

In fact, it has been 20 or more years since any officer in the Jackson Police Department has had the opportunity to mount something like this, according to Public Safety Director Christopher Dunton.

And while one high ranking officer said he has never seen a photograph anywhere of a Jackson police officer on one of these, there were a lot of officers and township officials lined up to eye a new beauty who had just arrived in town.

It seemed like everyone wanted to be first in line to take a ride on the white two-wheeler with red and blue lights, a loud horn and a siren with a wail that will make a speeding motorist stop dead in his tracks.

The police department's newest vehicle comes straight from Harley-Davidson.

"We're donating a Road King Police Bike to the Jackson Police Department," said Asa G. Murray, president of Harley-Davidson of Ocean County, Lakewood. "It's fully equipped with police safety equipment and it's certainly ready to go.

I think they'll find they will be able to use it for public relations with the people of Jackson and [they will be able to] get closer to the community's residents."

Dunton said he thinks this is a terrific opportunity for the police department

"It gives us an extra hand with traffic enforcement," he said.

"We're excited," said Capt. Matthew Kunz, uniform service commander for the patrol and traffic divisions. "This is a new venture for the police department. It's a new tool for us, which will give us more opportunities to do more good work in the township."

Kunz thanked Harley-Davidson of Ocean County for its generosity.

"A lot of officers are expressing their interest in training and being able to participate in a motorcycle program," said Kunz. "We have a lot of work ahead of us in establishing that, but it's exciting work and we look forward to it."....     Read the full story.

03/31/06
Metro officer speaks out about hit and run - Las Vegas, NV
Police scanners rang late Wednesday night with the call of a motorcycle officer down. Metro investigators say he was hit by a drunk driver. It happened at Paradise and Russell near the airport tunnel.

Robert Rickermann, 22, is charged with felony DUI and hit and run charges. Police say he left the scene after he hit the officer.

Officer Frank Elam remembers a lot about the accident and surprisingly, he's not angry about the crash. He just wants his experience to be a warning to drivers who speed.

"Running radar at Paradise and Russell Road - basically, that's where we are every night," said Elam.

It was a routine night like most others for Officer Elam. He was working traffic on Paradise and Russell Road

"A lot of people speed through there," he said. "It's a pretty dangerous area."

But this officer had no idea just how dangerous the road was about to get

"I got him at 68 in a 30 mile zone on radar."

The car was going over 30 miles above the speed limit. That's when Officer Elam says he got on his bike and started the chase.

"He looked at me and decided he wasn't going to stop; [he] just floored it in his car and took off. I was probably doing 60-65 through the tunnel. He was just flying through, cutting in and out of traffic. In my opinion, he was doing well over 100. I slowed down probably to about 40. The next thing I know, he was coming straight at me."

What happened next, Elam says he'll never forget. His bike collided, head-on, with the speeding car.

"I know that I hit the hood of his car. I think I went off the windshield. It was like a bomb going off around me; I thought my whole bike came apart. I was laying on the ground. I looked up. I could see the red vehicle. I could see there was a white male driver with black hair. He kind-of looked over at me and sped off."

He thought he broke his leg in the crash, but fortunately this officer was able to walk away with just bruises....     Read the full story.

03/31/06
Motor cops say farewell to late friend - Lancaster, CA
Antelope Valley sheriff's deputies said a final goodbye Thursday to fallen comrade Pierre Bain during a radio roll call.

One by one, as each unit's call sign was called, the motorcycle deputy's co-workers paid their respects in a sort of electronic memorial book that has become a department tradition.

"It's been a pleasure working with you ... Watch over us and keep us all safe and we'll take care of your family," one deputy said.

Another deputy said: "You're one of kind ... Have a great ride."

Some deputies mentioned the last Antelope Valley lawman killed in the line of duty: Lake Los Angeles Deputy Steve Sorensen, shot to death during a routine call in August 2003.

"You fought the good fight. You finished it. It's time to rest, you and Steve both."

Other deputies, some with their voices cracking, chimed in:

"You were simply the best: the best friend, the best cop, the best rider we've ever seen."

"My friend, you'll never be forgotten." ...     Read the full story.

03/31/06
An Emotional Farewell To A Pascagoula Police Officer - Pascagoula, MS
The people who packed the First Baptist Church in Pascagoula were Michael Byrd's family, friends and law enforcement brothers and sisters brought together by the badge they share. A friend says Michael succeeded in serving God as a police officer and as a minister.

"Michael, your tour of duty here is finished. Your fellow officers will take over your patrol with honor, dignity, and valor. You're God's good and faithful servant. Enter now into the joy of the Lord," says Greg Johnston.

Michael's pastor says he celebrates each day he knew the young officer.

Reverend Bob Kates says, "I saw him grow into manhood with a sense of responsibility and a desire to make his life meaningful for others. I watched as he anchored his soul in the depths of God's love and I saw him give his heart to Jesus Christ as his Lord."

Wiping away tears, officer Byrd's father, Jackson County Sheriff Mike Byrd, thanked the hundreds of law enforcers for embracing his son, and even drew some laughs.

"All of you have a brother who loved you all. Michael Byrd loved mankind and I know he loved me and his mother. That's why we named him after both of us."

The sheriff described his only son as a caring, loving brother, uncle, husband and father. Perhaps it was a premonition that made the young officer, two weeks before his death, ask his father for a special favor....     Read the full story.



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