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POLICE MOTORCYCLE TRAINING.
By Captain Jim Polan According to the National Law Enforcement Memorial, Police Motorcycle accidents are the third leading cause of death in Law Enforcement. Automobile accidents and shootings are the leading two causes. Motorcycle crashes are responsible for over 1000 deaths in the United States. In the last ten years 1,655 officers died in the line of duty, one officer every 53 hours. Thirteen percent of those officers were involved in some type of traffic vehicle stop. But, far too often the public, the media and some police administrators call these stops "Routine". In 1992 the FBI Behavioral Science Unit analyzed 51 Law Enforcement Homicides where the officer was the victim. One of the published facts revealed "It is apparent that several officers in this study did not follow the established and acceptable police procedures when making a traffic stop, and this failure was found to be an important contributing factor in their deaths". In 1997 the FBI selected 40 cases of serious assaults against Law Enforcement and identified that "routine, repetitive tasks emerged as a continuing threat to officer safety". Traffic stops is an example of tasks that should be second nature to officers but posed problems to the victims in the cases studied". Motorcycle instructors should be preparing their officers for more than "Skills or Rodeo Competition". Riding advanced cone patterns and slow riding are important to hone in your individual skills and a talented rider is appreciated. However, far too often officers are not exposed to the training that will prepare them for survival for example accident avoidance exercises and traffic stop procedures. In Florida Emergency Vehicle Operations is considered a high liability course, however, there is no curriculum for minimum standards for motorcycle officers, infact, training is not even required for an officer to operate a police motorcycle. I have learned through my experience that a minimum of two weeks of basic training should be required for a new motor officer. But unfortunately some departments don't offer any pre-service training. During the basic objectives I will identify the minimum requirements for the new officer and then focus on the survival requirements, accident avoidance exercises and traffic stop procedures. Instructors must set the motorcycle for the rider. Adjust the seat, move the handlebars, adjust the clutch, and identify a safe Grey area for clutch control. Remember you are not the one operating the motorcycle. On many occasions I have observed officers working on the street and struggling with the motorcycle, when just a minor adjustment could increase their skill level. Once the machine is set for the rider identify and demonstrate control with clutch, throttle, head and eyes. Provide the student with cone patterns, which will increase their control, and once the control, is learned, the student's confidence will follow and will allow them to reach higher levels of difficulty. In 1981, the most comprehensive study on motorcycle accidents was published. The Hurt Report named after Dr. Harry Hurt who directed the study. Dr. Hurt put together a team of investigators who collected data on more than 900 motorcycle accidents. They interviewed 2310 passing motorcyclists, and studied 3600 police reports that came from a specific area. This study was conducted on civilian accidents and identified the leading cause of crashes. Most riders would overbrake and skid the rear wheel and underbrake the front wheel. The ability to countersteer and swerve was essentially absent. In single vehicle accidents the typical error being a slideout and fall due to overbraking or running wide on a curve due to excess speed or under-corning. According to an article published in Motorcycle Consumer News (January 2000) Dr. Hurt feels that this original study is still valid because the accidents still display the same causes. Dr. Hurt also stated "I still do consulting for police departments, and have investigated a number of police motorcycle accidents over the years. Police Motor officers get some extensive training. I mean really good training. But even these professionals make the same sort of mistakes as novices, and today'' riders seem to have the same sort of accidents as those in the NHTSA report". The Institute of Police Technology and Management published a study on Police Motorcycle Accidents in 1984 and I conducted another in 1998. Both studies identified that rider error was present in over 50 % of the reported crashes and the following were the causes: 1) Improper Braking 2) Failure to countersteer 3) failure to negotiate a curve. All three causes were a mirror reflection of the Hurt Report conducted on civilian crashes. But yet we are the trained professionals. A student performing a flawless 18-foot single 360' cone pattern is excellent. However, if that same student is unable to stop his motorcycle traveling 40 MPH in 62 feet the single 360' has no bearing. Accident Avoidance exercises must be practiced on a continuous basis! For years, and still current in some areas motorcycle officers were taught to use the front and rear brake simultaneously. Front brake all four fingers on the lever, rear brakes use the balls of the foot on the pedal. If the front brake locks release immediately or you may suffer from a front wheel lock up. If the rear brake locks ride it out to the end, don't release or you may suffer from a high side. A high side is releasing the pedal to regain traction. Once the rear tire regains traction it snaps the rear end back in line with the front tire and usually throws the rider off. Problems do exist with riding the rear wheel skid out, you will lose control of the motorcycle, you will travel a greater distance and you may strike the hazard you are attempting to avoid. The best ways to avoid this problem is to use more front brake. Proper posture on the motorcycle is very important for stability. Sit up straight look at the horizon or avenues of escape do not focus on the threat. Apply the front brake first, the contact patch of the motorcycle is then in front of the motorcycle as the weight transfers you can apply more front brake. After application of the front brake then apply the rear brake. I strongly feel that for a maximum safe stop 80% of the stopping force is from the front and 20% from the rear. If you lock the front brake release immediately then reapply, if you lock the rear brake don't release, reapply pressure and at the same time apply more front brake. This re-application of the rear with more front will remove the loss of traction and control from the skid and prevent you from being a victim of a highside. I instruct new officers in the basic course and veteran officers in in-service to always use the front brake first, which will provide muscle memory. Then when a threatening encounter occurs "practice will be permanent" and you will go back to what you perform every day, front brake. I observe veteran motor officers covering the rear brake while operating on their daily operation, a very bad habit. If a threat occurs and your foot is already on the rear brake you will apply that brake first and possibly too hard causing a skid and loss of control. Covering the front brake is acceptable. There are three ways to change direction on a motorcycle; turning which is usually less than 10 mph, leaning and countersteering. The simplest way to describe countersteering is "push right go right, push left to go left". During your initial push the front wheel will travel in the opposite direction then track back to the push direction and the contact patch will rotate away from the countersteer. Do not use any brakes during a countersteering technique. Braking while leaning or in a countersteer may cause the motorcycle to stand up or if applied too hard may cause a low side. A low side is when the back or front slides outwards and keeps going. The motorcycle lies down and the rider falls off the low side. In 1999 motorcyclists fatalities in single-vehicle crashes accounted for almost half (46%) of all fatal motorcycle crashes. The NHTSA report goes on to say "half of the single vehicle fatalities are related to negotiating a curve prior to the crash". Riding within your skill level is the most important factor; do not ride over your ability. Remember basic curve negotiation operation; Slow down while approaching any curve, look through the curve for any hazards on the other side, lean while traveling around the curve, roll on the accelerator while traveling out of the curve. Sounds simple, but why is curve negotiation listed in the top three for causes in the only three studies conducted. Slow, make sure all of your braking is complete prior to entering your lean, look for the apex (center point of curve) look where you want to go, which is on the other side of the curve not over the edge, lean through the curve continuous smooth acceleration, do not adjust the accelerator or change direction of the lean. This along with braking may cause instability while leaning. Milking the handlebar may increase your lean angle and increase your radius, putting you outside the safety of your lane. Braking during the lean may increase your lean angle or if the brakes applied too hard a low side may occur. Posture while mounted on the motorcycle again is very important to stability and traction while conducting a curve negotiation. This recommended technique will work on various styles of curves: Continuous, decreasing, or increasing radius curves, pay attention and ride within your ability. Training must be continuous and on going. These techniques must be practiced to be permanent. Motorcycle Officers must be provided proper training at their basic level and then that training must continue during their career. All Law Enforcement Officers receive training in low and high-risk vehicle stops during their basic recruit training. However, very few agencies provide any type of vehicle stop training for Motor Officers. According to the two studies on police motorcycle operation the primary job responsibility for Motorcycle Officers is traffic enforcement, a very dangerous job. The following information being provided is not designed to tell you how to conduct a vehicle stop, but to remind you of how dangerous the procedure can be. Police Motor Officer's (PMO) are instructed to dismount from the high side of the motorcycle for the following reasons: 1) Stay out of oncoming traffic 2) Keep vision on the violator vehicle 3) If the side stand does not lock in position the PMO would be stepping away from the sidestand and using their non-gun hand to push the cycle away. 4) Immediate use of cover. Yes, the motorcycle is an excellent source of cover. Using a Police model Kawasaki 1000 I fired over 70 different rounds at the motorcycle. The rounds varied from a 380 ball to a 223 armor piercing and nothing penetrated the motorcycle. Very good sources of cover if it's the only cover available. And yes I documented all rounds and video taped the entire testing procedure to remove any doubt. Let's begin with the positioning of the motorcycle. I recommend a minimum of 21 feet from the violator vehicle, a well-established distance for reaction. With the proper distance applied the motorcycle then would point toward the curb, so when the officer dismounts, the motorcycle will be between the officer and the violator, immediate use of cover. The cycle can also be used as a barrier if the violator exits the vehicle and comes to you in a non-compliance manner, but not a deadly force situation. Why do Law Enforcement Officers approach on the driver's side? Good question here are a few answers: 1) That's the way we have always done it 2) Convenience to the driver 3) One Adam -12 and CHIPS performed their stops to the driver side. The driver's side approach is an option, but should not be the only way. In survival tactics there should be more than one way of being safe. On the driver's side approach the primary threat should be on-coming traffic. Nearly one thousand officers have been run down by reckless, drunk or rubber neck operators of motor vehicles traveling by the traffic stop. This is the first reason why you shouldn't approach to the driver's side. I'm going to identify the Pros and Cons of the driver's side versus the passenger side approach. During your initial approach remember to bring items that you require to complete the job task. Daylight stops bring your citation book. By having the book in your possession you don't have to return to the motorcycle to complete the citation. Officers should stay away from their police vehicle while writing the citation or checking on driver's license/warrant status. Once again concerned about on-coming traffic striking the police vehicle and if the officer is at the vehicle the violator has the ability to watch everything that you perform due to the mirrors in their vehicle. Technology in police work has increased to officer's benefit over the years; however, using the laptops in the vehicle during a traffic stop should be considered a "DEADLY DISTRACTION". If you are sitting in or near your vehicle working on the computer, who is watching the violator, a back up officer I would hope. Eighty-one percent of the officers killed in the line of duty were working alone. But you still have to be concerned about on-coming traffic striking the motorcycle. The citation book may also be used as a diversionary device if a threat may arise during your contact. Nighttime stops obviously you would bring your flashlight, but a flashlight and a citation book may cause more harm than good. Too many items to balance and occupy your hands. DRIVERS SIDE APPROACH PROS -Convenience -Immediate access to the driver if required CONS -On-coming traffic -The public knows police procedures -There is no cover or concealment when you approach to the driver's side. Visualize walking up along a vehicle, if the driver makes a quick movement outside of the window with a firearm you have nowhere to go or hide. Moving backwards is your only direction, but it may be too late. -Unable to maintain vision of the hands. While in the vehicle the hands are the only items that may harm you. Society is right hand dominant so lets play the odds. While positioned on the drivers side and the male occupant goes for his wallet in his right rear pocket you lose sight of his right hand. Female goes to her purse on the passenger side you lose vision of her hands. Either driver goes to the glove box or center console to retrieve the vehicles paper work, not only do you lose sight of the hands you are unable to completely view the glove box. PASSENGER SIDE APPORACH PROS -Eliminates the threat of on-coming traffic -Delivers a curve to the violator who is used to the police approaching on the driver side -While leaving the motorcycle and approaching you have immediate cover or concealment falling directly to the ground on the passenger side of the violator vehicle. -Provides more vision. The officer is able to observe the hands more clearly. Provides vision directly into the glove box. If the Passenger side window is closed have the violator roll it down, or even better, if the operator is the only one in the vehicle open the door. With the door open you would be amazed how much you can observe. Now, if the subject goes for their wallet or purse, you can see their hands. When the glove box is opened, not only can you see their hands, but also what is inside. CITATION ISSUE LOCATION POLICE VEHICLE If you return to the motorcycle or vehicle to issue the citation remember this: - On-coming traffic strikes police vehicles - The violator can observe your performance and knows when you re-approach - You cannot observe the violator - Officers are attacked on the re-approach 43% of the time. Make a strong attempt to eliminate the re-approach - Visualize a nighttime stop with emergency lights activated. What if the violator decides to attack the officer? The violator is going directly back to the vehicle, but guess what, you are not there. - Be aware that the technology placed into the police vehicles can become a "Deadly Distraction". PASSENGER SIDE REAR QUARTER PANEL Six to eight feet away from the violator's vehicle out of their vision: - Away from traffic and the police vehicle - You still can observe the violators actions - Possible Cover or Concealment (i.e. parked car, tree, pole) if attacked - If there is a driver only, open the passenger side door and remain at the door. Use your portable radio for any communication that may be required. This area provides a tremendous amount of vision, command presence and control. Without giving the violator any opportunity. This article was not designed to instruct officers on how to conduct a traffic stop; in any tactical situation there is more than one way to perform a task. You must practice that task so that the procedure will become permanent. The goal of this article was to remind all of us how dangerous traffic stops are to Law Enforcement. Law Enforcement must remember that training must be continuous and on going to refresh our knowledge and make a strong attempt to eliminate complacency. If you are unable to demonstrate these skills in a practical application, utilize Mental Visualization. Mental training can be used to review almost any training technique. First visualize the type of training objective and then brainstorm on various options. Once you have accomplished the options then visualize actually performing these techniques. For example: Visualize stopping a vehicle for a traffic violation and the violator exits with a weapon. What are your options? How will you react? Practice your reaction. Or you're traveling 40 MPH down the highway and a vehicle pulls directly out in front of you. What are your options? How will you execute your decision? Practice your reaction. Using both mental and technique application provides the individual the opportunity to increase their personal performance. Jim Polan is a 23-year veteran of Law Enforcement and currently a Captain with the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. Captain Polan is an adjunct Instructor for Institute of Public Safety and Institute of Police Technology and Management. If you are a police motorcycle instructor and would like to share some of your knowledge with your fellow officers, please let us know. |
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