I live in north Georgia, in a fairly rural area. A neighboring county now has added motorcycle units (at least one at any rate) to their fleet of law enforcement vehicles. I understand how a bike would be handy getting around traffic snarls in someplace with a big freeway system. But out here I’m left wondering what advantage it could hold. I suppose it is cheaper to field a motorcycle than a crusier, but it also looks like the reduced functionality would make it a pain in the butt.
Cost is the big issue, rainy. Motorcycles are cheaper, use less fuel, and are often faster than most cars (your results may vary).
As for the loss of function, it ain’t the problem it might seem. Most things the cops get called in on don’t require arrests. Domestic quarrels, noise complaints, checking for (non-existant) prowlers, & traffic enforcement; none of them really need a full squadcar.
Just a cop, 2 tires, a motor, siren & radio.
If they need a squadcar, they can call for one. No biggie.
I’m willing to bet that the motorcycle will be used for speed enforcement. All of the motorcycles around here have handheld radar units. It’s easier to hide a motorcycle when running a speed trap.
I seem to remember a law enforcement study cited in a driving magazine one time indicating that motorcycle cops were a bigger speeding deterrent than any of the other enforcement varieties, when they polled some motorists.
I couldn’t figure out why, though…
Cheaper vehicle, 2) Easier to hide (for speed traps), 3) They have fun riding them. I also live in a small town, and the police chief is always trying to buy stuff like that which he doesn’t really need because it makes him feel important.
I guess I didn’t consider it being used solely for traffic / speeding stuff. That does make a lot of sense. I guess I figured budgets around here were still small enough that every vehicle had to be able to do every function – but I bet you’re right on the cost versus ticket revenue.
You’re all way off base. It’s part of the extra funding they, and many other Police Departments, got as a result of funding the Homeland Security initiative. It’s for catching terrorists.
I’ve only seen one or two around here in the last 20 years but I don’t get out much. If any area cops (other than Madison) have a cycle I’d bet money it was proceeds from a drug bust.
I read a newspaper article a couple of years ago about a motorcycle cop back in the 40s or 50s here in rural Iowa. He was killed somehow in the line of duty.Sorry I can’t remember the details. It was decided after his death that it was too dangerous since the bike didn’t offer any protection.
I have to disagree. High speed chases are the stuff of movies, and are used in real life less and less. They’re inherently dangerous.
Motorcycles are less stable on gravelley surfaces, road shoulders, in tight turns ( they flip faster than cars do ) and offer virtually zero protection. A motorcycle cop would NOT wanna get involved in a highspeed chase because the perp’s mass is so much greater than his- he/she could easily be killed in the chase.
When it rains, they’re slippery on the roadways. When it’s gravelly or uneven roads, one can go over the high side quickly. I would WAG that they were bought because they are cheap on gas and easy to move about.
I gotta’ say, if I was seriously wanted, not averse to killing cops, and being chased by a motorcycle cop, I’d be seriously tempted to try nudging him into a ditch.
