Police Motorcycle Training The Long and Winding Road
M 32 THE MOTOR OFFICER™
otorcycles have been used for law enforcement operations since the early 1900s. The motorcycle has sustained itself as a premier plat- form for the delivery of policing duties, and especially excels at traf- fi c enforcement and public relations duties. The motorcycle’s small sur- face foot-print, its maneuverability
and public appeal have ensured its place at the forefront of modern policing. There is no greater symbol of traffi c safety then a police offi cer astride a motorcycle. Good training means sound initial basic instruction
and ongoing, progressive training periods. The World Wide Association of Motor Offi cers (WWAMO) is undertaking a survey to determine the size and nature of police motorcycle opera- tions throughout North America and to ascertain the types and depth of training provided by police agencies that utilize police motorcycles. This information will be utilized to forge the future direction of police motor- cycling training. Who is WWAMO? The World Wide
Association of Motor Offi cers (WWAMO) was formed in the late 1990s when a few forward-thinking people realized there was no national entity to unite the police motorcycle commu- nity. WWAMO was created to bond the police motorcycling community into a worldwide brotherhood. WWAMO has since identifi ed a gap that there was no reservoir of information relating to the number of police motorcycles and operators that were in use in law enforcement and that there were no national police motorcycle training standards. The World Wide Association of Motor Offi cers undertook the task of rectifying this shortcoming. WWAMO struck a working group to:
1. Determine the number of police motorcycle offi cers in North America, their location, and the type and duration (if any) of basic and ongoing motorcycle training they have received,
2. Create scientifi cally supported and validated written and practical tests for the use of police organizations providing motorcycle training. This undertaking by WWAMO has been endorsed by
Gordon Graham, a 33-year veteran of California Law Enforce- ment, a practicing attorney and a recognized leader in risk management. Mr. Graham is the President of Lexipol – a
| SPRING 2015
SUBMITTED BY ANDY NORRIE
company designed to standardize policy, procedures and training in law enforcement operations. Gordon spent his fi rst ten years in law enforcement as a motorcycle offi cer and is uniquely qualifi ed to speak on police motorcycling practices. Graham acknowledges that a motorcycle program can pro- vide a huge “benefi t” to effective law enforcement operations in a given community if it adopts a “standardization of best practices” that can result in a substantial reduction in claims, settlements, verdicts and injuries. “Proper management” includes a risk assessment on the need for such a unit, the proper selection of personnel to be in that program, the proper development of policy, the proper selection and maintenance of equipment, appropriate training – both initial and ongoing, performance and safety audits, says Mr. Graham. In pursuit of goal #1 WWAMO has created a survey that we
THE WORLD WIDE ASSOCIATION OF MOTOR OFFICERS WAS CREATED TO BOND THE POLICE MOTORCYCLING COMMUNITY INTO A WORLDWIDE BROTHERHOOD.
are asking motor offi cers to complete. Offi cers are encouraged to visit:
http://wwamo.com/wwamo-survey/ Motor Offi cers can click on the link for their respective state/province in the list and are asked to complete the short 9-question survey. The information obtained will help defi ne who we as a community are, and help chart the future direction of police motorcycle training. Please help improve the profession we all love and are blessed to be part of.
AUTHOR BIO: ANDY NORRIE IS AN INSPECTOR WITH THE TORONTO POLICE SERVICE IN TORONTO, CANADA. HE HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR OVER 31 YEARS AND HAS OVER 29 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN POLICE MOTOR- CYCLE OPERATIONS. HE HAS AUTHORED SEVERAL ARTICLES RELATING TO POLICE MOTORCYCLE OPERATIONS AND IS A MEMBER OF THE WORLD WIDE ASSOCIATION OF MOTOR OFFI- CER (WWAMO) TRAINING WORKING GROUP. HE HAS ATTENDED AND PARTICIPATED IN VARIOUS POLICE MOTORCYCLE TRAIN- ING AND COMPETITION EVENTS SINCE 1991 AND IS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE GREAT LAKES POLICE MOTORCYCLE TRAINING SEMINAR BASED IN AND AROUND THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO, CANADA.
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