IL - State to unveil new Motorcycle Enforcement Bureau today

[StlouisX50]

State to unveil new Motorcycle Enforcement Bureau today
News-Democrat

The Illinois State Police and Illinois Department of Transportation today will unveil the state's new Motorcycle Enforcement Bureau, which will be dedicated to highway enforcement to reduce traffic deaths and injuries.

Forty-two motorcycle patrol officers are now assigned to the Motorcycle Enforcement Bureau. The officers will focus on highway safety, primarily speed enforcement, in an effort to make Illinois' highways safer by targeting the "Fatal Five," violations: speeding, safety belts, improper lane usage, following too closely and driving under the influence.

IDOT's Division of Traffic Safety is providing more than $500,000 for the motorcycles, specialized equipment and uniforms for the new patrol unit. It is being funded through federal highway dollars specifically set aside for improving highway safety.

[StlouisX50]

The rolling lights behind a speeding car soon may be coming from an Illinois State Police motorcycle.

The Illinois State Police and Department of Transportation unveiled the new state motorcycle patrol unit Tuesday. The unit of 42 motorcycle patrol officers is focused on patrolling state highways for "the fatal five": speeding, driving under the influence, following too closely, improper lane usage and seatbelt use.

"Motorcycles give officers more mobility to maneuver in traffic," Illinois State Police Director Larry Trent said. "They are easily recognized by the public and have proven to be effective in speed enforcement as well."

The state has been divided into six platoons of 8-10 officers each, including the metro-east. Col. Charles Brueggemann, deputy director of operations, said it is hoped the motorcycle officers will help decrease traffic fatalities.

Brueggemann said motorcycle officers can respond more quickly and handle traffic problems, leaving patrol cars free to handle arrests. The motorcycle officers are all seasoned troopers who requested to join the platoon and received special training. Their positions were filled by new troopers.

Mike Stout, IDOT director of traffic safety, said the motorcycle platoon is "one more tool" for highway patrol. "No one initiative will miraculously make our roadways safe," he said.

The Harley Davidson motorcycles are leased for about $1,963 a year, and have a top speed of about 114 mph. They will patrol during daylight hours.

Lt. Scott Abbott said motorcycle patrols were used as early as the 1920s, using World War I surplus bikes, but since being reinstalled in 1992, there have been as few as eight motorcycle officers for the entire state -- seven of them in Chicago.

The $500,000 program is being funded through the IDOT Division of Traffic Safety, with federal dollars specifically set aside for these purposes, Stout said. Estimates put the motorcycle unit at an operating cost of about 15 cents per mile, compared to 40 cents per mile for a patrol car.

About 32 officers will patrol in the metro-east for the next eight days, then will report to their various regional platoons. About nine officers are expected to remain in the metro-east.

[edweird]

Only about 30 years behind Ponch and Jon (CHiPs).

Ed

[AirMoore]

I would love to pull motorcycle enforcement duty as an LEO, except I would buy an older 600cc supersport and have them outfit that (buy it with my own money so no leasing by the department).

I say that because having a Harley on Patrol for highway and speed enforcement is laughable, not only does your average car go ~115/120 these days, most decently tuned cars or good turbo production sports cars can run ~130/135 these days between the HP/Gearing available (If not well over the 135Mark for pure sportsters).
And they say a top speed of about '114MPH' which means probably stock they hit 114 and are assuming the added police outfitting of the bikes will knock off a few MPH (probably 5-10).


Now for city patrol that would be fine, even the lagging Harley will still be able to stay on a stop-light bandit in the city limits, especially with lane splitting and side-walk tearing capabilities.


As for it being a tool to stop sportbikes, most 600+cc sportbikes just start to get into the lowest-portion of their powerband at around the ~70/80MPH crusing speed.


IMO: A great waste of money by Illinois State Police, if I was a taxpayer there I would be rather unhappy.

[StlouisX50]

They are using the bikes to maneuver around traffic better and to free up cruisers. The are using the bikes for more traffic stops (traffic enforcement) rather than tying up cars. As per my video they are doing this so one officer can shoot lidar and the others are the chase cars.