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MOTORCYCLE POLICE NEWS.
Here is the article archive of headlines that have appeared in newspapers around the United States which relate to police motorcycle officers. 10/06/05 Officer faces probe for firing at driver - Pittsburgh, PA Pittsburgh's Office of Municipal Investigations will determine whether proper procedures were followed last month when a city police officer fired at a motorist who tried to run him over while driving on a busy Downtown sidewalk. Assistant Chief William Mullen -- who was acting chief when the Sept. 22 incident took place -- called for the review, said police spokeswoman Tammy Ewin. Officer Raymond Kain, a 25-year police veteran, said he fired a single shot at Ronald J. Powers, 25, of Slippery Rock, Butler County, after Powers tried to run him down near the intersection of Grant Street and Oliver Avenue, police said. Kain said he originally tried to stop Powers' car after Powers illegally changed lanes in the Liberty Tunnel, police said. Powers fled after missing Kain by less than a foot at the tunnel, and when Kain followed him on his police motorcycle he saw Powers drive onto a sidewalk toward a large group of people, police said. With the officer now on foot, Powers tried to strike him with his car, Kain reported.... Read the full story. 10/06/05 Motorcycle cop thrown after hitting extinguisher on I-880 - Oakland, CA An Oakland police traffic officer suffered numerous cuts and bruises Wednesday morning when he was thrown from his motorcycle on Interstate 880 after hitting a large fire extinguisher, authorities said. Officer Greg Bellusa was treated at a local hospital for severe cuts to his hands and arms, and later released. Police credited an El Sobrante woman with stopping her car on the freeway after the accident to prevent Bellusa from being hit by any vehicles and suffering more serious injuries.... Read the full story. 10/06/05 Boise motorcycle cop injured in early morning accident - Boise, ID A Boise Police motorcycle cop was injured this morning while attempting to stop a speeding motorist on Federal Way. Officer Gary Wiggins suffered a broken wrist in the accident and is currently hospitalized awaiting surgery. Wiggins was on traffic patrol on Federal Way at Victory Road shortly before 7 a.m. when he saw a vehicle speeding headed eastbound. As he accelerated to catch up to the car, he slipped a clutch and got distracted. The officer's bike then struck a concrete median, causing the officer and his motorcycle to skid along the roadway about 300 feet. Thanks go out to several citizens witnessed the accident and stopped to help the officer and called the accident into dispatch that led to a quick emergency response. Federal Way was closed down for awhile as officers investigated. Meridian Police will investigate the accident, along with a separate Boise Police investigation. Just last summer, the Boise Police Motors Unit began wearing Joe Rocket brand "utility pants" as part of their regular uniform. The pants are specially designed with very heavy padding for motorcycle riders. In this case, Officer Wiggins’ pants and helmet were badly damaged, but the safety equipment took the brunt of impact, sparring the officer more serious injuries.... Read the full story. 10/07/05 Seaside Police Unveil New Motorcycle - Seaside, CA The Seaside Police Department unveiled its new BMW police motorcycle Thursday. Officials said the bike was purchased through a grant of more than $100,000 from the California Office of Traffic Safety. It is equipped with moving and stationary radar, as well as a camera system that can be used to record traffic violations.... Read the full story. 10/08/05 Paying the price to protect: Gas price increase hampers local police officers out on patrol - Pendleton, OR ...Because funding is a sore spot in nearly all police agencies, officials also are trying to find other ways to save on gas. Several agencies use motorcycles, which offer obvious fuel efficiency. Roberts said the one motorcycle his department has “helps without a doubt,” but Edmiston and Zumwalt also agree with Roberts that police motorcycles have their downfalls. “We’re real limited on the motorcycle usage,” said Edmiston, whose agency uses two motorcycles. “Our motorcycles are limited strictly to traffic because you can’t transport (a prisoner to jail) on one.” Roberts also said motorcycle use is limited from November through the early spring months because winter weather driving conditions aren’t conducive to riding a motorcycle. Roberts said Pendleton’s obtaining another motorcycle isn’t out of the question, but he doesn’t see replacing all the patrol cars with the motorbikes. Neither does Edmiston.... Read the full story. 10/11/05 Motorcycle cops roll into town - Lompoc, CA Burbank is a long way from Lompoc, but Officer Fernando Munoz knows the way back on his motorcycle. Munoz and 10 other motorcycle patrol officers with the Burbank Police Department, grabbed their BMW and Kawasaki motorcycles and headed up Highway 101 to Lompoc, where Munoz grew up and attended Lompoc High School. The small army of bike officers visited the home of Rick Munoz, Fernando's brother, in Miguelito Canyon, for a barbecue lunch. They returned to Burbank later that day. Munoz, 33, has been a police officer for 10 years. He was a Los Angeles police officer for five years before joining the Burbank police in 2000. Now living in Santa Clarita, he visits most of his family in Lompoc at least once a month. The trip was meant to train the officers on riding in formation, a law enforcement operation done from time to time for security, parade or funeral detail. ”This helps in getting a feel for everybody,“ Munoz said of the training. ”When you're riding for eight hours straight, you get a good feel for how the group is riding together.“ Formation riding involves the motorcycle officers lining their bikes up two to a row in a lane, from front to end in close proximity.... Read the full story. 10/11/05 High-tech traffic tickets get a local test drive - Clackamas, OR After pulling over a speeding motorist, a Clackamas County Sheriff's deputy dismounts his police motorcycle and asks for the usual items: license and registration, please. But instead of getting out a cumbersome ticket book to slowly write up the infraction in triplicate, the police officer pulls out a sleek digital gizmo not much bigger than a cell phone, and quickly scans the barcode on the back of the driver's license. The handheld device springs to life, and the information contained in the barcode pops onto the screen. The officer quickly taps the screen to enter the infraction and a nearby portable thermal printer prints out a ticket.... Read the full story. 10/11/05 Motorcycle Deputy Killed On Way To Traffic Collision: Motorcycle Officer Killed In Collision With Motorist - Rancho Cucamonga, CA Authorities said a deputy on a motorcycle was killed Tuesday afternoon after a collision with a motorist in Rancho Cucamonga. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputy was transported to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, where he died, according to the sheriff's department. The sheriff's department said the deputy, 35-year-old Danny Lobo, was a 12-year veteran. The father of three children had been a motorcycle officer for one year.... Read the full story. 10/11/05 County deputy dies in crash - Rancho Cucamonga, CA An 11-year veteran with the Sheriff's Department was killed in a motorcycle crash Tuesday while responding to a traffic accident. San Bernardino County sheriff's motorcycle Deputy Daniel Lobo, 35, died at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton at 4:12 p.m., less than an hour after he struck a motorist who had pulled out in front of him, sheriff's officials said. It's the latest tragedy to hit a department still recovering from the loss of Deputy Ron Ives, a motorcycle officer who was killed in the line of duty in September 2004, department officials said. "Our department is in a place where we just healed from Ron's death. It's hurtful. It's brutal," said sheriff's Deputy Chief Rod Hoops, who gathered with other deputies at the hospital Tuesday. Lobo, another motorcycle deputy and a deputy in a squad car were heading east on Arrow Highway to a crash at Etiwanda Avenue at 3:25 p.m. when a man pulled out of a driveway to head west on Arrow. "They were going Code Three with lights and sirens on when a car pulled out of the driveway. The first motor (officer) was able to go on through. The patrol officer swerved out of the way of the car," said San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Robin Haynal. "When the third unit pulled out, he struck the back of the car and landed in the bushes." The impact threw Lobo 40 to 50 feet from his motorcycle. Workers in nearby industrial businesses ran outside after hearing the crash. "He was laying on his left side, not moving," said Martin Sotro, manager of Cameron Welding. "His helmet was about 30 to 40 feet away from him." Haynal said the driver who Lobo struck was not cited at the scene because the cause of the accident is still under investigation. Sotro said drivers who use that section of Arrow are notorious for speeding, and deputies often write tickets along that stretch because of the problem.... Read the full story. 10/12/05 Motorcycle Officer Injured In Hollywood Freeway Crash: Officer Crashes Near Roscoe Boulevard - Los Angeles, CA A Los Angeles Police Department motorcycle officer crashed Wednesday afternoon on the Hollywood Freeway, according to the California Highway Patrol. The officer was down on the northbound side of the 170 Freeway near the Roscoe Boulevard exit. The crash occurred at about 3:30 p.m. CHP Officer Tariq Johnson said authorities did not know the officer's condition. The officer was hospitalized with injuries that "do not appear to be that bad," said LAPD Officer Jason Lee.... Read the full story. 10/13/05 Friends honor deputy: Man recalled as conscientious - Rancho Cucamonga, CA Flower bouquets and flickering candles surrounded a white cross Wednesday near the site of a crash that killed a sheriff's motorcycle deputy a day earlier. Colleagues and friends gathered on Arrow Highway to pay their respects to San Bernardino County sheriff's motorcycle Deputy Daniel Lobo, a man who was remembered as a conscientious and enthusiastic officer. "He loved coming to work. He loved his job. He loved riding his motorcycle," said Michael Tolbert, a reserve deputy who worked with Lobo several times a month on patrols, accidents and checkpoints. Lobo and two other deputies were driving east on Arrow Highway toward Etiwanda Avenue on Tuesday afternoon when a driver pulled out of a driveway in front of them, sheriff's officials said. Two of the deputies, one on a motorcycle and another in a squad car, were able to swerve around the driver, but Lobo crashed into the back of the vehicle and was thrown from the bike. He died less than an hour later at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. Family members hadn't confirmed funeral arrangements as of late Wednesday, but sheriff's officials expected to have further details by the end of the week. Deputies at the Rancho Cucamonga station remained quiet about the incident, referring all calls to the sheriff's San Bernardino headquarters. "They've been through a lot in the past year," said sheriff's spokeswoman Robin Haynal. "They're just very broken up, and they need some time to grieve." People who would speak about Lobo described him as a man who was a by-the-book officer and a kind of mentor to new deputies. "You ask him a question and he's willing to teach you," Tolbert said. "That's the way he was." Lobo, an 11-year veteran with the department, had been a motorcycle deputy the past year. It's considered a choice assignment by many in law enforcement.... Read the full story. 10/13/05 Motorcycle officer hurt in I-15 crash - Sabre Springs, CA A Coronado Police Department motorcycle officer suffered broken ribs when he collided with a pickup on Interstate 15 north of Poway Road yesterday, authorities said. The 4 p.m. accident blocked the northbound HOV lane for an hour during the evening commute, the California Highway Patrol said. The officer was in uniform, riding his police motorcycle as he headed home from work. He was behind a pickup as it made the transition from the HOV lane to a car-pool lane designated by a double yellow line on the freeway, CHP Officer Kevin Prouty said. The pickup driver swerved to the right, partially crossing the double line. The motorcycle officer struck the back of the truck and was knocked to the pavement. He was taken to a hospital.... Read the full story. 10/13/05 Car Strikes Motorcycle Officer In Santa Ana - Santa Ana, CA A car struck a motorcycle officer Thursday afternoon in Santa Ana. The Santa Ana Police Department officer was hit near Main Street and Memory Lane. Authorities said the officer suffered moderate injuries. The crash occurred in a commercial area. The crash was the third this week involving a motorcycle officer in Southern California. Authorities said a deputy on a motorcycle was killed Tuesday afternoon after a collision with a motorist in Rancho Cucamonga. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputy was transported to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, where he died, according to the sheriff's department. The sheriff's department said the deputy, 35-year-old Danny Lobo, was a 12-year veteran. The father of three children had been a motorcycle officer for one year. A Los Angeles Police Department motorcycle officer crashed Wednesday afternoon on the Hollywood Freeway. The officer was hospitalized with injuries that "do not appear to be that bad," said LAPD Officer Jason Lee.... Read the full story. 10/13/05 Trooper breaking new ground with State Police motorcycle unit - Roanoke, VA In 17 years in law enforcement, she's served in the Army, in local law enforcement. She even spent two years as a Sky Marshal. Now Trooper Becky Curl is the only woman on the Virginia State Police motor squad. She got her start in the Tidewater area, but is now assigned to Western Virginia. She says people still consider her gender a novelty in the line of work she's in but she just enjoys being a motorcycle cop."The job doesn't change in law enforcement just because you're in another vehicle," Curl says. "It's like having a drug dog. It's a tool of the trade."... Read the full story. 10/15/05 Funeral services set for deputy - Rancho Cucamonga, CA Funeral services for sheriff's motorcycle Deputy Daniel Lobo, who was killed while on duty this week, have been scheduled for Tuesday. Lobo, 35, of Rialto, will be remembered by his colleagues and family at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Hillside Community Church, 5354 Haven Ave., Rancho Cucamonga. While the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department worked with the family to arrange Lobo's funeral, those who knew the fallen deputy continued to cope with the loss. "It's a delicate situation," said San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Jodi Miller. "His wife is having a very hard time, as well as people he worked with." Lobo was killed Tuesday while heading to a traffic accident at the intersection of Arrow Highway and Etiwanda Avenue in Rancho Cucamonga. He and two other deputies were driving east on Arrow with their emergency lights and sirens on when a driver pulled out in front of them. Lobo struck the back of the vehicle and was pronounced dead less than an hour later at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. Lobo was born Nov. 15, 1970, in Pomona and grew up in Montclair, family members said. He graduated from Montclair High School and worked various jobs, including stints at a Harley-Davidson dealership and Montclair's Parks and Recreation Department. Following in the footsteps of his father Daniel Sr., a veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Lobo chose to pursue a career in law enforcement. He joined the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department in 1994, with his first assignment working at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga. But Lobo had a goal in the Sheriff's Department -- to work traffic enforcement on a motorcycle. "That was his life's goal -- to be a motorcycle police officer," his mother Gloria Lobo said. "He was very happy when he received that assignment."... Read the full story. 10/18/05 Driver indicted in wreck: Culpeper grand jury indicts man on traffic charge - Culpeper, VA A grand jury yesterday indicted a 29-year-old Culpeper man on a reckless-driving charge stemming from an Aug. 30 accident that seriously injured a Culpeper town police motorcycle officer. Jose Saldana, whose address is listed as Broad Street, was charged with the simple traffic violation by direct indictment following a Virginia State Police accident investigation. Saldana is accused of pulling into the path of Officer Roscoe Barnes on Sperryville Pike during the funeral procession for 10-year-old Nicole Woodward, who had been killed in a school bus accident on Aug. 26. When the procession was stopped, one driver left room for Saldana to exit a side street, according to police sources. Just as he pulled out, Barnes pulled out from behind the last vehicle in the procession in what one source called "just a tragic accident." "After reviewing the state police investigation we feel that the charge is correct," Commonwealth's Attorney Gary Close said following yesterday's grand jury session. Barnes suffered a broken leg, a broken wrist and is still recovering from severe head injuries after being thrown over the hood of Saldana's car. The 45-year-old officer is slowly recovering in a Charlottesville rehabilitation center.... Read the full story. 10/19/05 Deputy's outlook on life was positive: The motorcycle officer, also known for his devotion, was killed in an accident. - Rancho Cucamonga, CA About 2,000 people, many dressed in uniform, paid their respects Tuesday for San Bernardino County sheriff's Deputy Daniel Lobo Jr. Lobo, a motorcycle officer who worked for the Rancho Cucamonga sheriff's station, died Oct. 11 in a traffic accident. He was remembered fondly for his positive outlook on life, love of family and devotion to his work. "When we lose one of our brothers, our family, it just tears us up. I can't imagine what (his wife) Jennifer and her family are going through," said Sheriff Gary Penrod, who fought back tears. "Our deepest condolences go out to the entire family." Lobo, 34, of Rialto, is survived by his wife, Jennifer Lobo; three daughters, Kiley, Kadie and Maddison; and his parents, Daniel Lobo Sr. and Gloria Lobo. During the service at Hillside Community Church in Rancho Cucamonga, Lobo's middle daughter Kadie, 10, read a letter she wrote for her father. "I will miss you. I can't wait for the day that I'm up in heaven with you and God," she said. Lobo was killed while he was en route to a traffic accident. He headed east on Arrow Route in Rancho Cucamonga with another motorcycle officer and patrol car when his motorcycle collided with a Toyota Camry. He died less than an hour later at a Colton hospital. Deputy John Bannes, who met Lobo at their orientation for the sheriff's academy more than a decade ago, shared stories about Lobo, such as the time he ran into a burning house to help people get out, and came out startled by what he later discovered was a 300-pound potbelly pig.... Read the full story. 10/19/05 Motorcycle officer struck by truck going 5 miles an hour - Redlands, CA A motorcycle officer responding to a non-injury traffic collision at San Bernardino Avenue and Webster Street was hit by a pick-up truck and thrown from his vehicle, police reported this morning. A 52-year-old woman was traveling about 5 mph when she hit officer Rodney Walters, who was preparing to make a turn to stop traffic, said police spokesman Carl Baker. Walters radioed dispatchers to report the collision and ask for medical aid, Baker said.... Read the full story. 10/21/05 Motorcycle police units outfitted for winter - Pittsburgh, PA Pittsburgh's motorcycle cops will be sporting a new look in coming weeks, when the police bureau's fleet of Harley-Davidsons are outfitted with a device that makes them look like "trikes." Sidecars are attached to the motorcycles in the fall to give them greater stability in winter weather. The new system, called a Voyager, has a wheel on each side of the rear of the motorcycle -- similar to training wheels on a child's bicycle. At about $4,000 a unit, the Voyagers also are nearly half the cost of a new sidecar and will not require the motorcycles' brakes to be retrofitted, said Jim Craig, who handles repairs and maintenance for the city's 27 police motorcycles and two paramedic bikes. The city will auction its old sidecars and other surplus equipment at 10 a.m. Saturday at the tow pound in the Strip District at 31st and Allegheny Valley Railroad streets. While sidecars improve stability in slippery weather, they can be difficult to maneuver, especially on right-hand turns, said Training Officer Jim Miles. "Once the officers get used to having them on their motorcycles, I think they'll like them because the bike handles so much better than with a sidecar," said Miles, 50, a 16-year veteran of the police force.... Read the full story. 10/21/05 Motorcycle Officer Injured In Burbank Crash: Crash Is Fourth This Month Involving Motorcycle Officer - Los Angeles, CA A police motorcycle officer was injured Friday afternoon in a crash near Hollywood Way and Victory Boulevard in Burbank. The officer was hospitalized. Authorities said his injuries were minor. The crash is the fourth this month involving a motorcycle officer in Southern California. Authorities said a deputy on a motorcycle was killed Oct. 11 after a collision with a motorist in Rancho Cucamonga. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputy was transported to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, where he died, according to the sheriff's department. The sheriff's department said the deputy, 35-year-old Danny Lobo, was a 12-year veteran. The father of three children had been a motorcycle officer for one year. A Los Angeles Police Department motorcycle officer crashed Oct. 12 on the Hollywood Freeway. The officer was hospitalized and released.... Read the full story. 10/24/05 Sculpture will honor fallen Tacoma officers - Tacoma, WA Minor Cudihee was stabbed to death during a scuffle with a drunk in 1892. He was the first Tacoma police officer killed in the line of duty. Jim Lewis was killed in a collision with a car last year as he rode his police motorcycle to help another officer with a traffic stop. He was the latest Tacoma officer killed in the line of duty. In between, eight other men have been killed while serving their city. All of them will be remembered as part of a 15-foot-tall tribute that will spring from the sidewalk in front of the new Tacoma police headquarters on South Pine Street. It’s the first time the city will have a proper memorial for its fallen officers, said police spokeswoman Tracy Conaway. The Tacoma City Council agreed this week to hire Port Orchard artist James Kelsey to build the memorial.... Read the full story. 10/24/05 Police up presence by Image - New Haven, CT ...In preparation for the event at Image, both the YPD and the NHPD said they increased the number of officers patrolling around Image to prevent robberies and other crimes. YPD policy does not allow the number of officers slated to patrol a given area to be released, Patten said. But Highsmith said the number of security personnel was heavily "ramped up" on the night of the party. "[We had] a combination of police officers in cars and walking patrols," she said. NHPD spokeswoman Bonnie Winchester said that around 10 p.m., many NHPD officers were also monitoring the area outside the nightclub. In addition to the usual six NHPD officers who monitor the area around Image and other local bars on weekend nights, Winchester said the NHPD sent four motorcycle officers, two officers on horses and six crime suppression officers. She also said Image hired four uniformed extra duty officers who began work at 7 p.m. Image Nightclub was unable to be reached for comment.... Read the full story. 10/26/05 Tickets issued quicker: Pines officers get computer devices - Pembroke Pines, FL Pembroke Pines motorcycle officers soon will have a speedier way of processing traffic tickets. New hand-held computerized devices will allow officers to swipe driver's licenses, punch a few buttons and print out the citation -- in less time than it would take to write it all out. "It's quicker for the officer and the public to get in and out," said Sgt. Bryan Davis, the city's east district traffic supervisor. "It's [also] safer for the officer because they don't have to take their eyes off the violator as often as they do now, since they just have to swipe [driver's licenses].'' The 10-officer traffic unit has five of the devices in patrol cars, where laptops are used, and five on motorcycles. Motorcycle officers write about 300 citations a month, Davis said. Depending on the situation, it can take them about five to 10 minutes to write out a citation, he said. "The amount of time the officer will spend writing a citation will now be cut in half, if not more," Davis said. The City Commission recently approved the $23,440 purchase from Deerfield Beach-based Advanced Public Safety for the five devices, including the batteries, magnetic-strip readers, printers for each and the maintenance agreement.... Read the full story. 10/27/05 Motorcycle Officer Injured - Wichita Falls, TX A Wichita Falls motorcycle officer was sent to the hospital with minor injuries today after his cycle collided with a car pulling in front of him. The accident happened on Brook between 9th and 10th street. A woman crossed two lanes to turn into a parking lot. She was motioned to cross by another driver, but apparently could not see the traffic in the far lane. According to police, the person who motioned her saw the officer heading south on Brook and tried to stop the woman, but it was too late.... Read the full story. 10/27/05 Police Officer Hurt After Being Thrown from Motorcycle - Rancho Cordova, CA A Rancho Cordova police officer who was thrown from his police motorcycle while pursuing a traffic violator is in stable condition at a local hospital. The incident happened on Coloma Road at Cordova Lane just before 1 p.m. The area will be closed until at leat 6 p.m. while officers investigate. The officer, who has been with the Rancho Cordova force for 15 years, is identified as 46-year-old Bill Woodell. According to a preliminary investigation, Woodell was traveling eastbound on Coloma when a Volkswagen Jetta pulled out in front of his motorcycle. The motorcycle struck the vehicle's door, the impact sending the officer over the top of the car.... Read the full story. 10/28/05 Motorcycle Officer Seriously Injured In Crash - Rancho Cordova, CA Bill Woodel is in pain tonight, but his pain is shared not just by his immediate family--a wife and four kids--but his professional family as well. They've been at the hospital all day to show support and do anything to help. Woodel, a Sheriff’s Deputy who was riding his motorcycle when was thrown 100 feet after being hit by a car at a Rancho Cordova intersection Thursday. “As I rode up the motorcycle I was absolutely destroyed,” said Dan Davis. Sergeant Dan Davis had no idea which one of his men was injured as he rushed to the intersection of Coloma and Cordova roads. “I still didn't know who was on the ground until I walked up and saw who it was,” said Sgt. Davis. Woodel, a 15-year veteran, was taken to the UC Davis Medical Center where he has reportedly been treated for bone fractures and “skeletal injuries”. He is listed in serious condition.... Read the full story. 10/28/05 Walker P.D. adding traffic officers - Walker, LA In Walker, the number of crashes on public roads each month has more than doubled -- from 24 to 52. In fact, auto accidents of all kinds have skyrocketed within the last month, which has had a nasty effect on the flow of traffic. "I travel the Interstate every day from Holden to Baton Rouge," said motorist Harold Lasabe. "It seems like the speed limit, instead of 70, is 80, 90 and 100." Now the Walker Police Department is adding a traffic division of officers on motorcycles, and they hope to prevent some accidents by handing out more tickets. "Visibility is one of the main things we need out on the Interstate and in town streets alone, just for officer presence," explained Walker Police Chief Hunter Grimes. "It will slow them down and remind them of safety." Chief Grimes said more than 24,000 vehicles traveled through the small town of Walker each day before Katrina. He said now that more people are on the streets, a motorcycle patrol is needed. Grimes told of one particular stretch of the Interstate in Walker where there is a high fatality rate for motorists involved in accidents, and he hopes the added officers will not only help prevent car crashes, but will speed up response times as well.... Read the full story. 10/28/05 'There will be gridlock' - Stoughton, MA Anticipating as many as 20,000 to 30,000 people converging on the town for the Nov. 9 opening of the first IKEA in the state of Massachusetts, Acting Police Chief Christopher Ciampa appeared before the Board of Selectmen this week to answer questions about efforts to control the event. With its opening just 12 days away, local authorities are expecting an influx of shoppers the likes of which the town has never before seen. So great will the expected amount of traffic be, that Ciampa admitted to the board, "There will be gridlock." "There's no way we can prevent it, we just hope to control it," said Ciampa to the selectmen Tuesday night. "IKEA is bringing in event organizers - the kind that run major golf tournaments - to help with planning. The company is also paying for details at every intersection in Stoughton and Avon that will be impacted, as well as for State Police details on Rte. 24." Ciampa said in addition to police details, the Fire Department will have a detail placed at the store. He also said as many as five motorcycle police officers will be available in the town that day - three from Stoughton and three more courtesy of the Canton Police Department - that will be able to weave their way through the anticipated gridlocked traffic in case they are needed. Ciampa also said a regional tactical team has also been notified and will be on available in case there is an incident local authorities cannot handle themselves.... Read the full story. 10/28/05 Suspected drunken driver pleads not guilty to killing CHP officer - Pomona, CA A suspected drunken driver charged with crashing into and killing a California Highway Patrol motorcycle officer pleaded not guilty Friday. Rudy Lopez, 26, was being held without bail on charges of murder of a police officer and vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. If convicted, he could face life in prison. A preliminary hearing was set for Dec. 1. Lopez was on probation for a misdemeanor drunken driving conviction when police say he slammed his car into Officer David Romero, 47, at a stoplight in Industry on Sept. 23.... Read the full story. 10/31/05 Police departments upgrade weaponry: Motorcycle officers in Costa Mesa will carry shotguns, and rifles will be added to Newport patrol cars - Costa Mesa, CA The Newport Beach and Costa Mesa police departments are beefing up their firearms. The Costa Mesa City Council recently approved the allocation of $8,000 in state funds toward purchasing shotguns and shotgun mounts for police motorcycles. Newport Beach Police patrol cars will soon be equipped with AR-15 automatic rifles, after the City Council accepted more than $17,000 in donations from the police employees and management associations. Officials from both departments said these weapons will increase officer safety and improve their ability to respond to incidents. "Now that criminals are better armed, then obviously we as the police have probably got to step up to the plate and be at least equally armed," said Newport Beach Police Sgt. Bill Hartford. Newport police officers now carry .40-caliber semiautomatic pistols in their holsters and shotguns in their patrol cars, Hartford said. Equipping patrol cars with rifles prepares the officers for encounters with suspects carrying more advanced automatic weapons, Hartford said. The 1997 North Hollywood shootout -- when two gunmen in full body armor shot at police and civilians with automatic weapons after a botched bank robbery -- and the 2001 armed robbery of Traditional Jewelers in Newport Beach are examples of situations in which police would have benefited from carrying automatic weapons, Hartford said. The advantage of a rifle is that it can shoot a solid projectile over a longer distance, Hartford said. Newport patrol officers already carry shotguns in their cars. Shotguns can be more useful than a rifle in an urban environment, said Costa Mesa Traffic Motor Sgt. Rob Sharpnack. In a heavily populated area, a rifle can be too powerful. A shotgun fires multiple projectiles that don't travel as far, and they make it easier to hit the target, Sharpnack said. For Costa Mesa motorcycle officers, being equipped with a shotgun improves safety because they are often the first police units at a scene, Sharpnack said. Motorcycle officers have very little cover, whereas a police officer in a patrol car can use the car as protection, said Costa Mesa Police Sgt. Bob Durham. The Costa Mesa motorcycles aren't yet equipped with the shotguns; the department is still deciding on some of the details.... Read the full story. 10/31/05 Rancho Cordova Officer Facing Paralysis After Collision - Rancho Cordova, CA The Rancho Cordova police officer who was thrown from his police motorcycle in a vehicle collision last week sustained a severe spinal injury and may not walk again. The neurosurgeon treating Officer William Woodel, 46, said the impact fractured the thoracic spine in front of his chest. Dr. Kee Kim said pieces of spine were pushed into the canal encasing the spinal cord. The doctor said Woodel cannot move his legs. Woodel was traveling eastbound on Coloma Road Thursday afternoon when the driver of a Volkswagen Jetta pulled out in front of him. Woodel's motorcycle struck the vehicle's door and the impact sent the officer over the top of the car. He landed on the pavement several feet away. The 15-year-police veteran of the Rancho Cordova Police Department was taken to U.C. Davis Medical Center. He has had several surgeries and faces another one Tuesday to stabilize his spine. Woodel also suffered arm and hip injuries in the collision.... Read the full story. |
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