Northwestern University Motorcycle Training For Over 25 Years
SUBMITTED BY GARY DEKINDER
N
orthwestern University’s Center for Public Safety and Harley-Davidson Motor Com- pany Police and Fleet Sales Division have collaborated to present Police Motorcycle Operator and Instructor training for more than 25 years. Harley-Davidson Police and Fleet Sales provides 21 current model year Police FLHP Road King®
motor- cycles, an on-site certified motorcycle
mechanic, and fuel at no charge for the students. As everyone understands, training is very demanding of equipment. Costs can easily reach $1,500 to service and repair a motorcycle after two weeks of training. Departments generally can save the entire tuition due to the fact they do not have to provide their departmental motorcycle for training. Harley-Davidson Motor Company is the only motorcycle manufacturer that provides this level of support to the nation’s law enforcement agencies. The exercises and techniques in this program are consis-
tently reviewed and revised to ensure they keep current with the technological advances of the police models offered by Harley-Davidson. In addition, all exercises and techniques are directly related to the skills necessary for safe and efficient operation as a Motor Officer. More than 3,500 law enforcement officers have been trained in this program, and likely thousands more trained by those instructors who have been sent back to their agencies after successful completion of our Instructor Program. Training exercises that progressively build upon previous
exercises create a solid foundation of skills in slow speed maneuvering, emergency braking and evasive maneuvers.
34 THE MOTOR OFFICER™ | SPRING 2015
These skills greatly enhance the safety and the survivability of those who complete the training. Nine riding exercises serve as the foundation for the Police
Motorcycle Operator course, stressing slow riding skills, high-speed braking, and emergency and evasive maneuvers. These nine skills are tested in the second week of the course. In addition, other riding exercises have been designed, tested and modified to best prepare motor officers for the situations he or she will face in daily patrol. The operator students receive written evaluations daily. The Instructor course is designed and intended for the more
advanced motor officer. As a prerequisite, instructor candidates MUST have completed a certified police motorcycle operator course. Without this prerequisite, successful completion of the practical “skills test” at the end of week one is nearly impos- sible. Additionally, instructor candidates should have served at least one year as a police motorcycle operator, which not only increases instructor credibility, but also allows the instructor to relate the training to previous experience. The instructor candidate, under the supervision of North-
western University staff instructors, will assemble various exercises and conduct actual training with Police Motorcycle Operator Course students. The instructor candidate will be continuously evaluated on his/her methods of instruction and course content presentation. The instructor candidate must also pass a practical exam to demonstrate proficiency in motorcycle riding abilities. Upon successful completion of this program, the instructor candidate will be well prepared and qualified to present the material provided in the NUCPS manual to police motorcycle Operator students.
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