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Situated in East Central Florida, Volusia County has a lot to offer a motorcycle offi cer—plenty of sunshine, open roads and natural scenic beauty!
mong the 11 most populous counties in Florida, Volu- sia County is home to approximately 500,000 residents most of the year. How-
ever, Volusia County is also a popular coastal tourist destination that’s home to something else—special events, and lots of them. There’s everything from Spring Break, Black College Reunion and the Turkey Rod Run to two annual biker fests, motorcycle races and the world-famous Daytona 500. During these annual events, with the infl ux of visitors, vacationers and day-trippers, Volusia County’s popula- tion easily swells to double its normal size. And that means twice the amount of traffi c, crowds, congestion and road dangers. And therein lies one of the major challenges for two-wheeled law enforcement offi cers. But it’s a chal- lenge that the Volusia County Sher- iff’s Offi ce’s 20 motorcycle deputies embrace with a great deal of pride and enthusiasm. For most, they couldn’t imagine doing anything else in the law enforcement fi eld. “As I ride with my motor deputies
during special events, it’s clear to me why they love their job,” said Captain Eric Dietrich, the Sheriff’s Offi ce’s Special Services commander. “It’s a job that allows them to constantly work in an outside environment and connect with everyone around them, whether they’re welcoming tourists to our events, helping motorists in need of assistance or issuing a cita- tion to enforce traffi c safety. At the end of every shift, you truly feel like you’ve made a difference in the safety of our citizens and visitors.” For the Volusia County Sheriff’s
Offi ce’s Motors Unit, Harley-David- son®
motorcycles are their ride of
choice. The agency has 22 Harley- Davidson®
Police Road King® motor-
cycles and recently added a brand-new 2014 FLHTP Electra Glide®
motor-
cycles to its fl eet. And the best part— valued at $18,000, the new police bike came at no cost! It was awarded to the agency, won by one of the Sheriff’s Office’s most skilled riders, Lieu- tenant Eric Westfall, for taking top honors in the individual riding com- petition at Harley-Davidson’s 110th Nationwide Police Skills and Training Competition in Milwaukee, WI. Lt. Westfall entered the competition on his own time, taking vacation leave in order to attend and compete. The Volusia County Sheriff’s
Offi ce has three motors units—one that services the agency’s entire juris- diction and two smaller units dedi- cated to the communities of Deltona and DeBary, FL, two cities that con- tract with the Sheriff’s Offi ce for their law enforcement services. Naturally, traffi c enforcement is job one for the Sheriff’s Offi ce’s motor units. And their statistics paint an impressive picture, including in excess of 15,000 traffi c citations and more than 625 arrests in just the past year. Equally important to public safety has been their crackdown on aggressive driv- ing, which has resulted in the issu- ance of nearly 1,500 aggressive driv- ing citations since 2006. Of course, no one likes to get a ticket. But to the Sheriff’s Office’s motor units, every dangerous motorist stopped for driving aggressively is potentially a life saved. “It’s a proven fact that strict enforcement saves lives,” said Sergeant Jim Whittet, supervisor of the Sheriff’s Offi ce’s countywide motor unit. “That’s why we do what we do. Our enforcement efforts make the roads safer for everyone.” Statistics alone, though, don’t
begin to tell the whole story. To main- tain safety, motor deputies target impaired drivers, street racers and red-light runners. They enforce seat
SPRING 2014 | THE MOTOR OFFICER™
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