By Sadie Gurman
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh police motorcycle squad wrote 11,750 traffic tickets this year, each officer citing about 10 times as many drivers as a counterpart in a cruiser.
The squad also issued 7,500 parking tickets and towed 2,200 vehicles -- prolific, in part, because the cycles let them see without being seen, a luxury not always available in a cruiser.
“When you’re on a motorcycle, you’re out in the open, you can see things, and you can hide better,” said Sgt. George DeVault, who leads the motorcycle unit.
Their victims, past and future, might not be happy to know that the motorcycle unit has rolled out more firepower in the form of 30 new cycles, each equipped with the latest technology.
The bikes are fitted with upgraded lights and sirens, six-speed transmission, anti-lock braking systems and sidecars; they cost $28,000 apiece. The purchase comes as the 26-member unit prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary, looking back at the department’s earliest cycles, which resemble souped-up Huffys more than Harleys.
The new vehicles put Pittsburgh police among a growing number of departments that are updating their motorcycle squads, said Jon Crull, public safety group chairman for NAFA Fleet Management Association, which represents managers of police fleets.
“The technology is changing constantly on these things,” Mr. Crull said. “In the way of safety, it really helps.”
Pittsburgh’s new cycles have been roaming the streets since November and were part of a $9.1 million plan this year to tune up the city of Pittsburgh’s 1,000-vehicle fleet.
Last replaced more than three years ago, the police motorcycles had all but succumbed to the wear and tear of daily police work, Sgt. DeVault said.
The lights and sirens were even older, passed down from generation to generation of motorcycles for 16 years, said the squad’s Sgt. Gordon McDaniel. The old bikes, many of which will be auctioned, had well surpassed their 15,000-mile life expectancy.
The new motorcycles’ features include sidecars that offer better maneuverability through congested roadways or through the clutter of car crashes, Sgt. DeVault said. That should also help in school zones, where the officers are on heightened alert for speeders.
The cycles are also emblazoned with an image of the city’s skyline, each officer’s name and a new black, gold and white color scheme.
NAFA’s Mr. Crull, who also manages the vehicle fleet for the city of Daytona Beach, Fla., said it’s rare to find a century-old motorcycle squad. There were just five cycles in 1909, and Sgt. DeVault said they lent their skill mostly to “directing traffic and catching speeders.”
The unit has continued to expand. Its officers must have a motorcycle license and go through extensive training every year. They also ride rain or shine, and are looking forward to heated hand grips and windshields that guard against the elements.
Traffic scofflaws might not be fans, but Sgt. DeVault said the cycles typically have a wide public appeal.
“Every time we pull up to a light, we get comments from the public,” he said. “There’s always some respect and a smile for you.”
Copyright 2008 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette