The Summit Police Department has added a 2019 Harley Davidson Electra Glide motorcycle to its fleet of Traffic Unit vehicles though a generous donation from a local foundation. The motorcycle will be used for specific traffic enforcement and control, parades and escorts and not for general patrol specific duties such as answering calls.
“Motorcycles are highly maneuverable and the high acceleration response capabilities make it an excellent tool for traffic law enforcement,” explains Summit Police Chief Robert Weck. “These capabilities will allow the Traffic Unit to carry out its duties with less hindrance by traffic and narrow city streets.”
The mission of the Traffic Unit is to keep Summit roadways safe. Each day, the unit uses proactive enforcement, community education and outreach, and traffic safety engineering to reduce traffic-related injuries and fatalities. It routinely analyzes traffic crash and moving violation data, and reviews citizen complaints in the formation of traffic safety plans.
Weck continues: “The purchase of a high-mobility motorcycle increases the ability of the patrol unit to conduct traffic enforcement in a variety of ways. It also increases the visibility of officers in the community, which is an added bonus.”
Summit Police officers must complete a rigorous police motorcycle rider training course and receive certification before being assigned to motorcycle patrol duties. Officer Christopher Eriksen recently completed the two week course and will be the first current Summit Police officer to conduct motorcycle patrols.
For more information on the Summit Police Department and its Traffic Unit, go to https://cityofsummit.org/police.
