The Brownsburg Police Department Motorcycle Unit consists of three Harley-Davidson police motorcycles. The officers are commonly referred to as Motor Officers and fall under the command of the Traffic Enforcement Division. Officers assigned to this unit operate the police motorcycles full-time from April 1 through November 1. They also are issued police cars to use when they are unable to patrol on their motorcycles due to inclement weather.
History
The first Motor Unit was established in September 2007 by Corporal Tony West. In December 2007, the department's first motorcycle was purchased. The success of the Motor Unit led to the addition of a second Motor Officer in 2009. With the growth of the community and the need for more traffic patrols a third Motor Officer was added in 2014. Our agency is fortunate to have this specialized unit that works the majority of the department's vehicle accidents as well as patrolling high traffic areas throughout the town.
Primary Function
The primary function of the Motorcycle Unit is traffic enforcement. The secondary function is to respond to accident calls in order to allow the uniformed patrol to focus on other duties. Motor Officer Daniel Brinson is also one of the department's Accident Re-Constructionist. He attended a 40 hour course in 2019 to become certified. Motor Officers are also responsible for serving as escorts, participating in parades and attending special events.
Motorcycle Training
Each officer assigned to the Motorcycle Unit must pass an intense two-week police motorcycle operations course prior to being assigned to the unit. The training ranges from slow-speed maneuvers to higher speed crash avoidance exercises. The unit participates in monthly training exercises in all types of weather conditions in order to improve their riding skills. Corporal Danny Rooker who oversees the division was certified in 2019 as a Motorcycle Patrol Instructor.
Focus
Each officer in the unit is issued either a Lidar (laser speed detection device) or a hand-held radar device to use for enforcing speed limits while standing away from the motorcycle. The officers focus on high accident areas, school zones, and problem areas where complaints are reported. The motorcycles are also equipped with moving radar so officers can enforce speed violations while operating the motorcycle.
