At ILEETA a couple of weeks ago, during his outstanding session on crowd control tactics, my good friend Dan Marcou related a funny story about a friend from his old PD who used an unorthodox tactic to bring into compliance a motorcycle rider. I don’t want to get into specifics, but will suffice it to say that this copper took advantage of the precise moment at which the violator was removing his motorcycle helmet.
It was very creative, and very effective. And very entertaining.
This story though, gave rise to a few other — much more serious — thoughts related to subjects wearing motorcycle helmets.
For most of you who patrol in warm weather areas, contact with motorcycle riders is a common occurrence and for those of you who work in colder climates, your frequency of contact with riders invariably increase as the weather turns warmer.
Whether you’re dealing with weekend club riders or individuals whose primary mode of transportation is on two wheels, there are some safety issues which merit a reminder now that we’re into the month of May.
It’s important to remember to order a helmeted rider you’ve pulled over to remove his or her helmet. With minimal practice, someone wearing a helmet can inflict serious damage in a fight using one or more head butts. The muffling effect of the helmet can also serve as a catalyst to luring you in closer to the potential assailant in an effort to hear what they’re saying to you.
When you do ask that the helmet be removed, remember that the helmet itself can be a dangerous projectile if hurled violently in your direction. Pay close attention to the rider as the helmet is coming off and be sure to have him/her position it in a location that makes it difficult to grab quickly — like the ground as opposed to on the seat of the bike.
As always, stay safe out there my friends.
