Wichita police target dangerous drivers in roll-out of new motorcycle unit

If you’re speeding on Kellogg, don’t be surprised if you’re pulled over by one of Wichita’s seven new motorcycle officers.

For the first time in 17 years, police are patrolling Wichita streets and highways on motorcycles. Motorcycle officers started pulling over drivers while they were training over a month ago, but Wichita police officially launched the unit Thursday.

“I started to see people driving terribly, and I wanted to be a part of that group that helps reduce some of those traffic crashes,” Officer Lee Froese said about volunteering for the motorcycle unit.

Deputy Police Chief Gavin Seiler said the number of car crashes increased after the Police Department split its centralized traffic patrol to four bureaus in 2003, which is why it’s bringing back the motorcycles for a re-created traffic unit. The officers will target areas with a high number of crashes.

Police accident statistics show eight Kellogg intersections were among the 10 intersections with the most crashes from January through November 2017. Kellogg and Broadway had the most, at 51 crashes, while the intersections at Rock, Seneca and Eisenhower Airport all had 50.

“Chief (Gordon) Ramsay shared with me a comment about bringing the motorcycles back, and he said, ‘If you truly want to keep our streets safe, you can’t do it with patrol cars, you have to do it with motorcycles,’ ” said Mayor Jeff Longwell, who called the motorcycle unit “an innovative solution to public safety.”

Motorcycles allow officers to observe traffic safely while watching for people driving dangerously, Froese said.

“There’s not really a place to park a car (on Kellogg),” Froese said. “Even if you did find a spot, maybe it wouldn’t be the best location where you could pull out into traffic and to monitor to make sure people aren’t driving aggressively or dangerously.”

Motorcycle officers could park on shoulders or on-ramps, he said.

“We are going to pick a spot that is safe for us and safe for the traffic flow,” Froese said. “We’re not going to park so close to the traffic lane that other cars would see us and get nervous and have to move over.”

The motorcycles provide police with greater mobility to patrol parks and sidewalks, Froese said, and are more inconspicuous than cars.

“A police car, people might see it and change their behavior, but they’re just going to continue to do it,” he said.

Froese, a Wichita police officer for seven years, grew up riding dirt bikes and said maneuvering the 1,000-pound Harley-Davidsons is different from what he was used to. The motorcycles include radio equipment, laser speed monitors, equipment for writing citations and paperwork, lights and sirens and other gear.

The officers in the unit went through a two-week course, including cone drills and high-speed braking tests, Froese said. They also spent a month training on the job. Motorcycle units were pulling over drivers during training in December.

“They went through some stringent training to prepare for this endeavor, as they will be working to help reduce fatalities, reduce accidents and keep the Wichita citizens safe as they travel through our city,” Officer Charley Davidson said.

When you see a motorcycle officer during a traffic stop, you will see them standing away from their bikes.

“If we have someone pulled over, please give us a little bit of room,” Froese said.

This story was originally published February 1, 2018 at 5:58 PM with the headline "Wichita police target dangerous drivers in roll-out of new motorcycle unit."