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


5/1/2006
Judge overturns conviction in Houston officer's death - Houston, TX
A federal judge has overturned death row inmate Carl Wayne Buntion's conviction in the 1990 shooting death of a Houston motorcycle officer.

U-S District Judge Kenneth Hoyt wrote in his ruling issued Friday that the trial judge violated Buntion's rights to a fair trial.

Buntion was convicted in 1991 of the death of Officer James Irby, who was killed during a traffic stop....     Read the full story.

5/1/2006
Police Endure Rigorous Training for Motorcycle Squad - Salt Lake City, UT
The TV shows made it look glamorous, officers on motorcycles riding to the rescue. But in reality, it's a lot more work and the motorcycle squad training sends many police officers packing before it's over.

By the time you see them, they have it down, but first there is a lot of starting and mostly stopping.

Robert Hawke, Instructor: "Most of them have never been on a motorcycle."

Michael Lowgher, Salt Lake City Police Officer: "Just exciting to be out here, little scary."

Michael Lowgher has been on the force with Salt Lake City more than two years.

Michael Lowgher: "Always wanted to ride a motorcycle. Thought this would be a good way to get extra training."

But he knows what he's in for.

Michael Lowgher: "Two week class, full 13 days from 7:00 in the morning, not sure when it ends."

The 13-day training is rigorous and intense. Fewer than half of the officers complete it.

Robert Hawke: "When you see one of these guys go down at 40 miles an hour, it will scar you. And a lot of them will pack it up and leave after they see that."

It's even more difficult to see when it happens on the job. In February, a Salt Lake City Motorcycle officer was injured in a crash on Bangerter Highway. He slid 200 feet before hitting a barrier. Injuries happen in training, too....     Read the full story.

5/1/2006
Motorcycle Officer Injured In Hwy. 291 Crash - Kansas City, MO
A police officer on a motorcycle was hurt in a crash on Highway 291 Monday afternoon.

Police said the Lee's Summit officer was traveling south on the highway when a Mercedes entered the intersection at Persels Road.

The officer hit the Mercedes and was ejected from the motorcycle, police said. The officer was able to call for help.

Police said the Mercedes driver ran a red light. The driver was arrested on a warrant for a previous traffic violation....     Read the full story.

5/1/2006
Gilbert cop dies after collision with suspected drunken driver - Phoenix, AZ
A Gilbert Police Department officer who was struck by a speeding vehicle on Saturday evening died early Sunday.

Officer Rob Targosz, who was assigned to his department's DUI unit, died at Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Hospital at 1:30 a.m., about seven hours after his police motorcycle was hit by a suspected drunken driver at a Tempe intersection.

Targosz, 37, had been a Gilbert officer for 12 years and was on the way to work when a Ford Mustang ran a red light, officials said. Tempe police Sgt. Dan Masters said the car's driver and passenger ran away, but police tracked them down.

The driver was identified as Tyler Fahlman, 20, of Tempe. He was booked on charges of manslaughter and hit and run causing death, Masters said....     Read the full story.

5/1/2006
Man accused in officer's death has history of violations - Phoenix, AZ
A man accused in the hit-and-run death of a Gilbert motorcycle officer has a history of traffic and alcohol violations.

Thirty-seven-year-old officer Rob Targosz died early yesterday morning from multiple injuries he sustained after officials say a Mustang ran a red light and slammed into his motorcycle in Tempe.

The driver and a passenger in the Mustang fled the scene on foot without helping Targosz.

Twenty-year-old Tyler Gary Fahlman faces charges of manslaughter and leaving the scene of an injury accident. Police said he showed signs of impairment, but blood-alcohol test results were not yet available.

Records from Scottsdale and Tempe municipal courts show Fahlman has at least seven court cases involving driving infractions in the past four years. Three of them involved drunken driving or underage consumption. Four were for traffic offenses....     Read the full story.

5/2/2006
On-duty crash in Ariz. kills East grad - Rockford, IL
An East High School graduate who became a police officer in Arizona was killed in a weekend hit-and-run accident.

Robert Targosz, 37, a 12-year veteran of the Gilbert Police Department and 1987 graduate of East High School who was captain of the wrestling team his senior year, died from injuries he sustained when his police motorcycle collided with a Ford Mustang at 6:35 p.m. Saturday in Tempe, Ariz.

“I remember him well,” said Perry Giardini, who coached Targosz in football and wrestling at East.

“We had a falling out and I actually kicked him off the wrestling team his junior year. He came back his senior year and was voted captain.”

Giardini said that being voted captain is one of the highest honors for athletes because they are appointed to that position by their peers.

Giardini recalled meeting up with Targosz last year when the Gilbert officer came to Rockford. They talked about their falling out and Targosz’s eventual redemption, among other things.

“He told me, ‘Thanks for not turning your back on me,’ ” Giardini said.

According to a news release from the Tempe Police Department, Targosz was on his way to work Saturday night in his uniform and on his police motorcycle, when he was hit by a Ford Mustang.

The impact was such that the motorcycle became embedded in the front of the car and both vehicles burst into flames. Targosz had been thrown from his motorcycle and the driver of the Mustang and a passenger fled on foot.

Targosz died early Sunday at Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Hospital. Tempe police arrested two men in connection with the accident. Alleged driver Tyler Fahlman, 20, faces manslaughter and hit-and-run charges, and alleged passenger Ryan Moore, 20, faces a misdemeanor charge of drinking while being under 21....     Read the full story.

5/3/2006
Driver Involved in Gilbert Officer's Death Had Record - Gilbert, AZ
An Arizona State University student accused in the death of police officer has a history of traffic and alcohol violations. Twenty-year-old Tyler Fahlman is charged with manslaughter for the hit and run death of Gilbert Officer Rob Targosz.

Falhman has had at least seven court cases involving driving infractions in the past four years. Three of those involved drunk driving or underage drinking.

Police say Fahlman and his passenger, 20-year-old Ryan Moore, ran a red light at the intersection of Price Road and Apache Blvd in Tempe Saturday night and killed Officer Targosz who was riding his patrol motorcycle on his way into work. Motorcycle Officer Targosz was on his way to work when he collided with Fahlman's Mustang. The a 12-year veteran police office was assigned to Gilbert's DUI enforcement squad. He was 37.

The collision occurred at approximately 6:35 p.m. at the intersection when Fahlman, driving eastbound on Apache Blvd. in his 2005 Ford Mustang, failed to stop for a red light and collided with Officer Targosz who was southbound on Price Road. Officer Targosz was on his way to work in Gilbert and was wearing his police uniform and riding his police motorcycle at the time of the collision. Targosz was thrown from his motorcycle and landed on the south side of the intersection. The force of the impact caused his BMW motorcycle to become embedded in the front of the Mustang whereupon both became engulfed in flames. According to witnesses both the driver and passenger of the Mustang were observed climbing from the wreckage through the drivers' door window. Both then fled on foot without rendering any aid to the critically injured officer....     Read the full story.

5/3/2006
Herndon Police Officer wins first prize - Herndon, VA
Herndon Police Officer Sean Merritt competed in the Chesapeake Bay Police Motorcycle Rodeo and Skills Competition in Portsmouth, Va., on April 22. Merritt received a first place trophy for the Individual Obstacle Course and received a fourth place overall in the novice division. Merritt has been with the Herndon Police Department for six years and has been a motorcycle officer for two years....     Read the full story.

5/3/2006
A somber shade of blue - Paterson, NJ
...Also attending the Mass were the parents of John Samra, a Clifton motorcycle officer who was struck and killed by a suspect he was pursuing on Nov. 21, 2003. Luis Hernandez, 41, of Passaic was sentenced to life in prison last year for that offense.     Read the full story.

5/3/2006
Driver's DUI record should have been taken more seriously - Gilbert, AZ
You could see disaster coming from several years away, only we didn't choose to look. It is only on this side of Saturday night that we see it, only on this side of death and destruction that we shake our heads at the senselessness of it and the waste. Still, nothing changes.

And so another innocent is killed. This one a cop.

Gilbert Officer Rob Targosz was on his way to work Saturday evening when a young man, who police believe was impaired, blasted through a red light and into the officer's motorcycle. Targosz died early Sunday morning, about the time he would have been booking drunks into jail....     Read the full story.

5/4/2006
Motorcycle cops win awards - Oro Valley, AZ
Motorcycle officers with the Oro Valley Police Department took home several awards in the 10th annual Southwest Police Motorcycle Training and Competition.

This is the ninth year Oro Valley has taken part in the competition, which was held April 21 and 22 in Phoenix.

In the overall competition, Oro Valley took first and second place. In the team competition, Officer Zach Pierce took first place, Rick Trevizo took second, Matt Horetski took third, Gregg Burgess took sixth, Sgt. John Teachout took seventh and Officer Robert Lolmaugh took 10th. In the riding-pair competition, Officers Chris Palic and Burgess took third.

"We're very pleased and very proud of how well these officers do," Police Chief Danny Sharp said....     Read the full story.

5/4/2006
Officers ride home winners - Jacksonville, FL
Determining the best police motorcycle unit in the state is still a bit of a subjective matter, but the numbers from last month’s Southeast Police Motorcycle Skills and Training competition in Coral Springs are tough to argue with: 13 members of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office motorcycle unit won a combined 14 awards.

“I am very proud of how they did,” said Sgt. Jim Suber, the special events coordinator for JSO. “We have been going down there for 15 years and we’ve done real good in the past, but we have never taken awards like this.”

The JSO unit won the overall award as well as first place in both the individual and team categories. The group also took second in the team category and fourth and fifth in the individual competition. Officer Darren Harris won the top individual award in the state.

The annual event consists of three days of training and one day of actual competition. Suber explained the process involves five exercises over two courses: one slower, untimed course that involves maneuvering around cones without touching them, putting a foot down or laying the bike down. The other course is similar except that it’s timed.

“You want to go through it as fast and as safely as you can,” said Suber, adding that both courses are worth five points and perfect navigation of both is worth five bonus points. “Obviously, you want to go as safely and as cleanly as you can. But, you also want to go as fast as you can.”

“The courses are designed to teach officers how to maneuver the cycle on the road through obstacles and traffic. It’s geared toward officer safety, which is the No. 1 priority. Better riders can also pay better attention to the public when they are on the road.”

The competition isn’t just about bringing home the hardware, it’s also an annual fundraiser. Suber said the event is held in the parking lot of the Coral Springs mall and money is raised for the Muscular Dystrophy Association as well as for an organization called Concerns of Police Survivors — a group that helps provide for the families of officers killed in the line of duty.

The JSO’s motorcycle unit isn’t just one of the best in the state: membership is also in high demand. Suber, whose father was a member of the motorcycle unit in the 1950s, said JSO doesn’t recruit internally specifically for the unit....     Read the full story.

5/5/2006
Gilbert officer laid to rest - Gilbert, AZ
Hundreds of police officers, family members and friends paid tribute to Gilbert police officer Rob Targosz at a Scottsdale church and cemetery Friday.

"My brother was a hero," said Shana Targosz. "We are so proud of him and so happy he had the honor of serving with all of you."

Rob Targosz was riding his police motorcycle to work Saturday when he was struck by a Ford Mustang driven by Tempe resident Tyler Fahlman, 20, who allegedly ran a red light at a Tempe intersection. Targosz died Sunday during surgery at a Scottsdale hospital.

Targosz' funeral was held at Scottsdale Bible Church, where he and his wife Brigitt regularly attended Sunday evening services.

A bagpipe player led pallbearers carrying Targosz' flag-draped casket out of the church, and more than 150 motorcycle officers led a procession to Paradise Memorial Gardens....     Read the full story.

5/7/2006
Pull over Harley, looks like Honda's on your tail - San Francisco, CA
For nearly a century, they have been a staple of action movies -- the hardy motorcycle cops tearing after the bank robbers, the bikes skidding around corners.

In the end, the bad guys are carted off to jail and the cop, shod invariably in high black boots and wearing oversize dark glasses, hops back on the motorcycle and zooms off.

In fact, police in the United States have been using motorcycles since about 1912 when the nascent Harley-Davidson Co. started outfitting a few departments with them. The cycles turned out to be a godsend for traffic enforcement -- they could chase speeders through traffic, and they could get to the scene of an accident far faster than a patrol car. This basic principle still holds true.

For nearly 100 years, Harley has dominated the U.S. market -- the company said last year that its motorcycles "are presently in service with some 2,800 law enforcement agencies nationwide."

Now, however, Honda, the world's most successful maker of motorcycles, is testing the law enforcement waters here. Honda has the largest share of the U.S. civilian motorcycle market, with 26.9 percent of all new bikes sold in the United States, followed by Harley with 23.7 percent and then a handful of other manufacturers, according to figures for 2004 provided by the Motorcycle Industry Council.

BMW successfully competes in the police motorcycle market -- the big German firm has supplied police motorcycles to agencies all over the world. In the United States, it sells police bikes to agencies in 29 states. It has sold more than 500 of its R1150RT-P model to the California Highway Patrol, which industry officials say buys more motorcycles than any other law enforcement agency in the country.

Honda's entry in this field is the ST1300P, a 1,261cc bike that is the police version of the "sport-touring" ST1300. That motorcycle grew out of the popular Honda ST1100, introduced in 1990 (as a 1991 model). Bikers' legend says the bike, first sold in Europe as the Pan-European, had to meet design criteria requiring it to average 100 miles per hour across Europe's freeways for an entire tank (7.4 gallons) of gas. Apparently, it lived up to the job....     Read the full story.

5/9/2006
Targosz honored as hero - Gilbert, AZ
It was a memorial service befitting a hero, a man who died while working to protect others.

The people who worked with Gilbert police Officer Rob Targosz reflected Monday on his drive, commitment to justice and the personality he brought to his profession.

The processional route for Monday's service was lined with schoolchildren, town employees and residents showing support for the 12-year Police Department veteran.

Flags waved from the hands of mothers with strollers and kids holding signs painted in red, white and blue declaring Targosz "Our hero."

A Tiger Cub Scout from Den 10 waved an American flag while clenching a homemade poster that read, "Robbie, you served us well."

Targosz, 37, died April 30 after a hit-and-run in Tempe caused by a suspected drunken driver. Targosz was on his way to DUI enforcement detail when the driver ran a red light and slammed into Targosz's police motorcycle. He was the first Gilbert police officer killed in the line of duty in the department's 86-year history....     Read the full story.

5/10/2006
Motorcycle Officer Injured by Habitual Offender - Memphis, TN
Motorcycle Officer Russell Chaudoin is in the MED's Trauma center. Investigators say he was hurt while chasing a man that should have never been driving in the first place.

His fellow officers were by his bedside at the MED most of the day. Chaudoin suffered broken bones and other complications from the accident. Police say it all started when he tried to stop 40 year old Ronald Woods for a traffic citation. Woods fled in his white GMC pick-up the wrong way up the Sycamore View ramp onto the interstate. Woods made a maneuver forcing Chaudoin to collide into a Honda Civic.

The chase lasted about 7 minutes and ended near the Highway 64 exit. Officers moved in on Woods and the suspect rammed a squad car slightly injuring the officer inside....     Read the full story.

5/10/2006
Fairfax cop's murder shakes area officers - Fairfax County, VA
...Cpl. J.T. Webb, of the Waynesboro Police Department, said Armel's killing brought back memories from 1999 when he was working in Bay County, Fla. That was the year his good friend, a motorcycle cop, was killed after being hit head-on while leading a funeral procession.

"I was the first one on the scene," Webb said, "and he died in my arms."

Webb said despite all the training, there's no way to prepare for every scenario a police officer might encounter on the beat. "The bottom line is it could happen to anybody, anytime." Still, hearing about a fellow officer being shot to death takes its toll....     Read the full story.

5/10/2006
Man indicted in fatal hit, run of officer - Gilbert, AZ
A Maricopa County grand jury returned an indictment against a man accused of causing the death of Gilbert police Officer Rob Targosz.

Tyler Gary Fahlman, 20, was indicted Monday on counts of manslaughter, endangerment and leaving the scene of a fatal injury accident.

According to court records, Fahlman drove the car that struck Targosz's motorcycle April 29, resulting in the officer's death.

Police said witnesses told them that two people fled after a car ran a red light at Price Road and Apache Boulevard, hitting Targosz's police motorcycle. Targosz, a Tempe resident, was on his way to a DUI enforcement detail. He died in surgery early April 30....     Read the full story.

5/11/2006
Memphis Motorcycle Cop Injured - Memphis, TN
A Memphis motorcycle cop is in stable condition at the MED Thursday after trying to pull someone over on I-40 Wednesday night.

Officer Russell Chaudoin was trying to stop a white GMC Sierra pick-up truck on I-40 near Sycamore View around 7:00 p.m. Wednesday. Police say the driver of the truck, Ronald Woods, refused to stop and took off in his truck. He drove down on I-40 going the wrong way! The officer took off after Woods, but he hit a white Honda Civic. There is no word on if the officer was going down I-40 the right or wrong way.

The driver of the Civic was hurt, but not seriously.

Several other police cars took off after Woods and were able to stop him at the I-40 and on Highway 40 exit. Police say as they closed in, Woods crashed into one of the police cars. The officer of that car was hurt, but not seriously....     Read the full story.

5/11/2006
3 Pima County deputies are stars in competitions -Tucson, AZ
Three deputies with the Pima County Sheriff's Department have won awards in law enforcement competitions, officials announced Wednesday.

Deputies Alvaro Arizpuru and Michael Buglewicz took first place in the "pair ride" contest at the 10th Annual Southwest Police Motorcycle Training and Competition in April. The deputies rode motorcycles through an obstacle course while tied together with an 18-inch cord. The event was a fund-raiser for Special Olympics.

Buglewicz, 40, is a 13-year veteran of the department and has been a motor officer for nearly nine years. Arizpuru, 33, has been with the department nearly six years, including two years with the motorcycle unit....     Read the full story.

5/11/2006
Stung at the crosswalk - Costa Mesa, CA
Two Costa Mesa police employees took their chances Wednesday at a crosswalk at 17th Street and Westminster Avenue as part of an undercover sting to spread awareness about the need for motorists to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks.

People said the crosswalk at the busy intersection is a problem, and police have received numerous complaints that it's too dangerous for pedestrians to cross there.

"I'm an old lady, and I want to know why nobody stops," said Newport Beach resident Marilyn Paulsen, 77, who walks often in the area.

Paulsen said she was glad to see police conducting the crosswalk enforcement Wednesday and personally thanked the police officers there. She said she was almost hit by a car while crossing Newport Boulevard recently.

Police wrote 61 citations to motorists who failed to stop when the two decoys walked in the marked crosswalk during the three-hour sting Wednesday.

"Summer's around the corner and we basically want to get the word out," Costa Mesa Sgt. Rob Sharpnack said.

The officers, one dressed in a bright yellow shirt and the other wearing a red top, took turns crossing busy 17th Street in the marked crosswalk. Officer Ken Noble was already at the middle point of the crosswalk when a black sports car sped through, missing him by just a few feet. A Costa Mesa motorcycle officer pulled the driver over in a nearby shopping mall and gave him a ticket....     Read the full story.

5/14/2006
Two Arrests In Paintball Drive-By Shootings - San Francisco, CA
Police in Oakland arrested two men after officers say they drove around parts of the city and shot at people with a paintball gun.

One of the balls hit a 13-year-old boy on Bancroft Avenue near 51st Saturday afternoon. There are believed to be at least eight victims.

Several people called police to report seeing paintballs being shot. Officers located a vehicle matching the description witnesses gave them.

A motorcycle officer spotted the car and arrested both suspects after a brief chase. They could face charges of assault with a deadly weapon....     Read the full story.

5/16/2006
Sgt. Hailed As Hero For Rescuing Trapped Motorist - Los Angeles, CA
An off-duty LAPD sergeant was hailed as a hero Tuesday for saving the life of an injured motorist who was trapped in a burning pickup.

Sgt. Christopher Kunz was riding his police motorcycle to work about 4:20 a.m. May 5 on the Golden State (5) Freeway near Roxford Avenue when he saw the accident, police said.

The truck had collided with a big rig and the motorist was unable to pull himself from the wrecked pickup truck, which had caught on fire.

Kunz, a 17-year veteran, took five fire extinguishers from other big rigs that had stopped at the crash site....     Read the full story.

5/16/2006
'Law Ride' To Honor Fallen Officers - Washington, DC
On Sunday, thousands of motorcyclists will ride through the streets of the Nation's Capital to honor law enforcement officers who've made the ultimate sacrifice.

Many will be wearing their police uniforms, their badges covered with black bands. Nearly 5,000 motorcyclists may turn out for the 11th annual Law Ride.

Officers, firefighters and supporters of law enforcement will assemble at RFK Stadium on Sunday morning, and will head out at 11 a.m. The ride will take them past the past the Capitol and monuments.

The Metropolitan Police Motorcycle Unit will lead the procession as it makes its way through the city. After they peal away to block streets, motor officers from around the country will take over, said Gary Lyons, Law Ride organizer.

They will be followed by officers in uniform on their personal bikes, then by various law enforcement motorcycle groups such as the Blue Knights, Law Dogs and Blue Angels. They will head to the National Law Enforcement Memorial for a service and wreath laying....     Read the full story.

5/17/2006
Motorcycle safety a concern for state troopers - Columbus, OH
To kick-off Motorcycle Awareness Month, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) are continuing their Ride Smart. Drive Smart. safety education partnership for a second riding season.

Motorcycle safety is a particular concern for troopers as there has been a considerable statewide increase in motorcycle crash fatalities.

In 2005, there were 177 motorcyclist fatalities, a 37-percent increase compared to the average number of motorcyclist deaths over the past five years. As of April this year, there have been 22 fatalities involving motorcycles.

In Clermont County, there were three motorcycle fatalities during 2005. So far this year, one motorcyclist, Anthony Becraft, was killed on a Clermont County roadway.

In part to combat the increase of motorcycle fatalities on Ohio roadways, the patrol reintroduced motorcycle units after a 50-year absence. Troopers who will be part of the unit have attended the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety's Police Motorcycle Operator Training.

Starting in June, motorcycle unit troopers will begin riding in the Columbus metropolitan area, focusing on metropolitan interstate enforcement and conducting motorcycle safety education efforts....     Read the full story.

5/18/2006
Elsinore hopes to add three police officers - Lake Elsinore, CA
...The City Council will review budget projections Thursday afternoon at a special meeting.

Budget officials want to use the expected jump in revenue to help pay for the addition of two patrol officers and one motorcycle officer, raising the number of police to 41 from 38. The added officers and related services would cost about $500,000....     Read the full story.

5/18/2006
CHP Officer Injured in Berkeley Crash - Berekeley, CA
A California Highway Patrol motorcycle officer was injured in a crash on westbound Interstate Highway 80 this afternoon, the CHP reported.

The collision between the officer's motorcycle and a Buick Century was reported at 3:37 p.m. just east of the Ashby Avenue exit. Two lanes of highway were briefly blocked following the crash....     Read the full story.

5/18/2006
16 officers added to memorial wall - Fort Worth, TX
...R.P. "Bob" Hollowell, died Dec. 26, 1914. Hollowell was en route to a call on his motorcycle when he struck a dog. He died later of complications and an earlier stab wound in his lung....     Read the full story.

5/18/2006
Akron police honor lives lost on duty - Akron, OH
James Stewart remembers the day well: Sept. 5, 1970.

He was an 11-year-old student at Hatton Elementary in Ellet playing in a football tournament in Canal Fulton. He was waiting for his father, who had planned to attend the game.

``I heard the three-wheeler and thought Dad was there,'' he said. ``But instead I saw one of his buddies who said Dad was in an accident and I would have to ride home with him because my mom had to go to the hospital.

``When my mom got home from the hospital I could tell by the look on her face that something was drastically wrong.''

His father, Glenn K. Stewart, was killed in a traffic accident when a car turned into the path of his police motorcycle during a chase....     Read the full story.

5/18/2006
No greater love - Murfreesboro, TN
...Murfreesboro Police officer Kay Rogers, the department's first woman motorcycle officer, died Nov. 9 from injuries suffered in a motorcycle crash on Middle Tennessee Boulevard.

Chrisman said Rogers' family members attended the national memorial ceremony this week in Washington, D.C., and were unable attend the countywide service. He asked people to remember the families of law enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives....     Read the full story.

5/18/2006
Biker takes pursuit to CHP's parking lot - El Cajon, CA
A motorcyclist led the California Highway Patrol to their own door yesterday after a 25-minute pursuit with speeds topping 100 mph.

CHP motorcycle officers wrestled him to the ground and handcuffed him.

“Never had them come to the office before,” Officer Clyde Larkin said. “He probably decided it was the best thing.”

Larkin said the motorcyclist sped past a CHP officer who was using radar on Interstate 8 around Viejas Indian Reservation and Descanso. The officer went in pursuit westbound about 4:45 p.m., clocking the bike at 125 mph at some point....     Read the full story.

5/18/2006
Police officer honored 64 years after death - Clementon, NJ
A borough police officer who was shot to death more than 60 years ago was honored during a ceremony Wednesday.

A new memorial in Heroes Park now serves as a tribute to George Miller, who was one of the community's first motorcycle police officers. Miller, a 19-year veteran, was shot to death in an ambush on May 21, 1942, while he was responding to a domestic violence call....     Read the full story.

5/19/2006
Seat-belt-use crackdown is under way - Tucson, AZ
The Tucson Police Department, along with law enforcement agencies nationwide, is cracking down on people who don't wear their seat belts.

In the last six months, 840 seat-belt violation citations have been issued in Tucson, said Sgt. Mark Robinson, a Tucson Police Department spokesman. There have also been 224 citations written for child-restraint violations.

The Click It or Ticket campaign, which encourages motorists to buckle up to avoid serious injury or death in the event of a collision, began Monday in Tucson and will end June 3, said Sgt. Mary K. Slyter of the Tucson police motorcycle unit....     Read the full story.

5/21/2006
Dream, horse quickly ruined - Baltimore, MD
...Larry Bramlage, an equine orthopedic surgeon from Kentucky who was assigned to yesterday's race, said Barbaro suffered fractures in two places -- above and below the right ankle -- and last night was being transported to the George B. Widener Hospital for Large Animals in Kennett Square, outside of Philadelphia, not far from where the horse was raised, to determine if the Kentucky Derby winner's life could be saved. Television crews in helicopters followed the ambulance as it made its way up Interstate 95 toward Philadelphia with a police motorcycle escort....     Read the full story.

5/23/2006
Leesburg Police Poker Run set for June 3 - Leesburg, VA
Do you like to play poker? Or are you someone who likes to spend your weekends cruising the county on your Harley?

Maybe you're into both. If so, head out to the 10th Annual Leesburg Police Motorcycle Poker Run on June 3. The run benefits the Virginia Special Olympics.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. at the Leesburg Fire Department on Loudoun Street. A police motor escort departs at 8:30, and participants can ride along. Motorcyclists can continue to register until 10 a.m., when the last bikes leave....     Read the full story.

5/23/2006
Officer On Motorcycle Injured In Crash - Indianapolis, IN
An Indianapolis police officer was treated at a hospital after a vehicle struck the motorcycle he was riding Tuesday morning.

Police said Officer Dwight Tripp was on West 10th Street at Tibbs Avenue when another vehicle turned onto Tibbs, striking the motorcycle.

Tripp was thrown from the motorcycle before it went under the car. He was treated for back pain at Methodist Hospital and released....     Read the full story.

5/24/2006
Motorcycle officer struck, injured while leading funeral procession - San Antonio, TX
A San Antonio motorcycle police officer is recovering this morning after being hit by a car while leading a funeral procession. Police say the off-duty officer was driving in the 300 block of Northwest 24th Street when a sports utility vehicle hit his motorcycle. The officer suffered minor injuries. The driver of the sports utility vehicle will not be cited.     Read the full story.

5/24/2006
Missoula officer recognized for bravery in taking gay/lesbian liaison position - Missoula, MT
Missoula Police Sgt. Scott Oak is gay, a fact not lost on vandals who scratch the word into his pickup truck or throw eggs at his house while hollering anti-gay epithets.

In addition to the vandalism, his work as liaison to the gay and lesbian community here is drawing national press attention that credits him with bravely breaking new ground.

Last week, a film crew shadowed him for several days and the producer, Craig Deltrone, plans to come back again in June.

The footage will be part of a one-hour documentary about gay men and women who are ‘‘out’’ in the workplace. The film is expected to air in January on a network called Logo, a new channel from MTV Networks with programming geared for the gay, lesbian and transgendered.

Oak also was the subject of a USA Today piece on people who shattered stereotypes, as well as local news stories announcing the creation of his position last fall.

He said the first headline that referred to him as a gay police officer made him squirm a little.

‘‘The attention has been embarrassing, but I think it’s really helping to further a cause,’’ said Oak, who patrols on a motorcycle when the weather allows....     Read the full story.

5/24/2006
Cop breaks window to stop driver - Manteca, CA
A pursuit that started with one accident and ended up in another resulted in Manteca Police breaking a window to grab keys out of the ignition to prevent the responsible party from driving away.

“Get out — get out,” witnesses quoted motorcycle officer George Crowley yelling seconds before he broke out a driver-side window of the car with his baton.

He grabbed the motorist’s keys and turned off the engine — she was reportedly trying to drive away from an accident scene when he stopped her.

Crowley initiated his pursuit shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday on Union Road south of Louise Avenue behind a Manteca woman, driving a Jeep Liberty, following citizens’ complaints of her driving recklessly....     Read the full story.

5/24/2006
Chandler motor officer - Chandler, AZ
A Chandler police officer was injured during a motorcycle training exercise Tuesday in Carefree.

Officer Bill Johnson was airlifted to Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn after the 9:40 a.m. accident on Cave Creek Road near Mule Train Road.

Johnson, a Chandler officer of more than two years, lost control of his motorcycle after he didn't appropriately make a turn, police said.

He crashed into a desert area on the side of the road.

The officer was treated for injuries to his leg, Chandler police said....     Read the full story.

5/25/2006
An officer and a gentleman - New Albany, IN
..."Atkins is one of the most famous and well-liked police officers that ever worked here,” NAPD Maj. Mike Lawrence said. “You’d be hard pressed to find anybody to say anything bad about Carl Atkins."

Atkins joined the police department in 1939 and worked as a motorcycle officer until he retired in 1962. But his career in law enforcement didn’t stop there. He ran for Floyd County Sheriff and was elected in 1963. He served two terms and retired in 1971....     Read the full story.

5/25/2006
Cop’s homecoming - Northborough, MA
The town welcomed its newest member to the Police Department this month, beefing up the force to 18 full-time officers.

On May 15, selectmen appointed Eric Michel as a full-time officer, and the 28-year-old Lowell resident reported for duty the following day.

Michel had a been a police officer on the University of Massachusetts at Lowell Police Department since 2003.

The new officer, who lives in Lowell with his wife, Katherine, will move to a town closer to Northborough to fulfill the town’s 15-mile residency requirement, he said yesterday.

Born in Northborough, he previously worked as a juvenile crime analyst for the Lowell Police Department. He received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from UMass-Lowell and graduated in 2004 from a 22-week Reading Police Academy. He received motorcycle certification from the Massachusetts State Police, allowing him to ride a police motorcycle while on patrol....     Read the full story.

5/25/2006
Motorcycle skills honors go to Sherwood officers - Sherwood, OR
Sgt. Mark Gaither and motor officer John Vande Brake win a best team award Two of the Sherwood Police Department's motorcycle officers won the 2006 Best Motor Team Award in a recent skills competition in Boise.

Sgt. Mark Gaither and motor officer John Vande Brake beat out the top motorcycle teams competing at the North American Motor Officers Association International Symposium. The symposium, held May 4-6, promotes training, safety and skills development for motorcycle officers from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, British Columbia and Alberta. Thursday, May 25, 2006.

The award, given out since 1984, honors the highest riding-skill achievements for motorcycle police.

The Portland Police Bureau team came in second, and the Corvallis Police Department team took third. Last year, the Snohomish County (Wash.) Sheriff's Office won the best team award.

During the first two days of this year's symposium, a two-man/four-man team skills course was open for competition. Riders are scored in a proficiency course, a barrel race, a slow race and a pairs competition course. The motor team with the combined top score -- and with no disqualifications -- receives the Best Motor Team Award....     Read the full story.

5/25/2006
Officer on motorcycle struck by vehicle - Milwaukee, WI
Just minutes after Milwaukee police made an announcement asking motorists to watch out for motorcyclists and bicyclists, a driver crashed into an officer on a motorcycle, police said.

The department held a news conference at 10:30 a.m. on N. Water St. asking drivers to look out during the warmer months for those on two wheels.

At 11:10 a.m., however, a motorcycle officer was turning off W. Wells St. onto James Lovell St. when he was hit by a woman who made a sudden left turn from one of the center lanes on Wells, said Anne E. Schwartz, department spokeswoman....     Read the full story.

5/25/2006
Empire Days party capped off with bang - Seattle, WA
...Several awards were handed out after the procession. The winners included the Seattle Police Motorcycle Drill Team for the best motorcycle drill team, the Mid Island Vintage Tractor and Farm Equipment Club for the best theme award, the best commercial float went to the Great Canadian Casino, and the best high school marching band award went to the Kent Lake High School Band, a large group from Washington....     Read the full story.

5/25/2006
No seat belt, no warning for Click It campaign - Ocala, FL
...During a press conference at the Ocala Police Department early Tuesday, officials said there will be zero tolerance for people not wearing seat belts during the two-week campaign. There will be no warnings issued.

"Safety belts clearly save lives," said Cpl. Jim Greenwell, a motorcycle officer with Ocala police. "For this reason, we are committed to aggressively enforcing the zero tolerance policy for any unbuckled motorist."

Most Click It or Ticket campaigns start around the holidays, since highways are heavy with traffic. This campaign ends a week after the Memorial Day weekend....     Read the full story.

5/25/2006
Burglary suspect flees police, crashes in east FW - Fort Worth, TX
...The chase began around 11:45 a.m., Gray said, when a motorcycle officer with a radar gun clocked the eastbound SUV traveling 80 mph on West Interstate 30.

``He attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver tried to elude him,'' Gray said.

The SUV headed south on Cooks Lane about two miles before crashing.....     Read the full story.

5/26/2006
Motorcycle patrolman hurt in crash - Honolulu, HI
A 45-year-old Honolulu police officer was seriously injured when his motorcycle crashed on the H-1 Freeway yesterday.

The accident occurred shortly before 4 p.m. in the eastbound lanes near the Middle Street off-ramp. Police said the officer was responding to a call and his blue lights were flashing when a white truck cut in front of him.

The officer swerved to his right to avoid the vehicle and hit a barrier while going about 30 mph. The officer was thrown from his motorcycle and apparently lost consciousness, according to Emergency Medical Services personnel.

EMS said the officer was conscious when he was taken to The Queen's Medical Center.

The officer was wearing his helmet at the time of the crash. He was in serious but stable condition at Queen's, and undergoing tests last night....     Read the full story.

5/27/2006
Midvale detective dies after cancer struggle - Salt Lake City, UT
An 11-year police veteran, Argueta died at 7:25 p.m. Thursday at home in the arms of his family, said his younger brother, Daniel Argueta. He died of respiratory failure brought on by the esophageal cancer that had spread to his lungs and liver.

"He felt very sick, and you could tell it just wasn't looking good," said Luis Argueta, Jose's older brother.

Family members and friends said Jose Argueta slept a lot in his last days but continued to joke and laugh until the end.

"He lived life to the very last breath," said Daniel Argueta.

Jose Argueta - who believed his job may have caused his cancer - started his law enforcement career in 1995 as a patrol officer with the Midvale Police Department. From 1998 to 2000, he was in the federal Drug Enforcement Agency and helped close five to 10 methamphetamine labs a month. He then returned to Midvale as a motorcycle cop before becoming a homicide detective and SWAT team leader. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2005....     Read the full story.

5/27/2006
Upland motorcycle officer hurt in crash - Upland, CA
An Upland police motorcycle officer received minor injuries Friday in a crash.

The officer was riding south on Benson Avenue about 11:38 a.m. when a driver pulled out of a Lowe's parking lot and didn't see the officer, California Highway Patrol Sgt. John Lessentine said.

The officer struck the side of the car, but was not thrown from his motorcycle, Lessentine said....     Read the full story.

5/28/2006
DUI task force makes 65 arrests - Mesa, AZ
A combined police effort to get impaired drivers off East Valley roads over the Memorial Day weekend had produced at least 65 DUI arrests as of Saturday night.

The Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Scottsdale and Tempe police departments have continued a more than 20-year tradition by forming a DUI task force this weekend, and Mesa police Sgt. Thom Intrieri said he believes the campaign will produce more DUI arrests than last year.

Statewide, officers made more than 540 DUI arrests during the 2005 Memorial Day weekend, records show.

“We’re starting to see the number of DUI arrests increase on impaired drivers because of the number of fatalities, especially with the untimely death of Gilbert police officer Rob Targosz, who was killed by a drunk driver,” Intrieri said. “That’s lit a fire under many of the officers who knew him, to make more DUI arrests. Monday will be our busiest day.”

Targosz, a motorcycle officer, was killed April 30 in a hit-and-run collision while driving to work...     Read the full story.

5/28/2006
Officers on bikes train hard: BR Police Department trains motorcycle officers to do more than just ride - Baton Rouge, LA
When Sgt. Todd Weishar became a Police Department motorcycle officer 17 years ago, he was given the keys to his bike on his first day of work and was required to ride with a senior officer for a few days before setting out on his own.

Getting on the department’s motorcycle officer force wasn’t much harder.

Weishar, now a supervisor in the department’s traffic division, wrote a letter stating he wanted to be a motorcycle officer, interviewed and passed a simple driving test.

“If you could turn in a circle and brake, that was good enough,” he said.

Today, police officers who aspire to ride a motorcycle for the force must pass a week of extensive training initiated by Jeff LeDuff in 1991, years before took over as police chief last year. The training is modeled after Harley-Davidson’s Technical Training School, which works with Northwestern University’s Center for Public Safety.

If they pass the training course, officers spend another week just riding the roads and another week patrolling with a trainer. They also are required to attend quarterly training.

“We now teach people to work on a cycle, not just ride one,” LeDuff said.

A motorcycle officer hasn’t died in a traffic accident while riding his bike in 22 years....     Read the full story.

5/30/2006
JSO Officer Killed In Motorcycle Crash Laid To Rest - Jacksonville, FL
Family members, friends, and fellow deputies said their final farewell on Tuesday to a Jacksonville sheriff's officer who was killed last week in a motorcycle crash.

Officer Jerry Beckmeyer, 32, was off-duty, riding his motorcycle on Butler Boulevard when two cars in front of him crashed. He was unable to stop and skidded across the road.

Beckmeyer was rushed to the hospital, but doctors could not save him.

Those who knew Beckmeyer said the officer loved his family, his job and riding his motorcycle. They said if he were alive today, he would be either riding his motorcycle or spending time with his family.

Beckmeyer's colleagues filled much of Fruit Cove Baptist Church, with their badges covered with black in honor of the fallen officer.

After the memorial service, a string of more than 135 police cars led by Beckmeyer's motorcycle squad and followed by his friends and family members pulled into the officer's final resting place in Ponte Vedra.,,,     Read the full story.

5/30/2006
Police officer in motorcycle accident - McAllen, TX
Police tell NEWSCHANNEL 5 a truck hit a police officer on a motorcycle while he was at a stop on Business 83 and 10th Street....     Read the full story.



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