City Council approves new police motorcycles

Dec. 06--The Huntsville Police Department will be adding two new motorcycles to its patrol fleet in order to better protect and serve the community after Tuesday's City Council meeting.

Council members unanimously approved the purchase of two police-equipped motorcycles from Longhorn Harley-Davidson, as well as police speed radars from Stalker Radar, in the amount of $62,060.

HPD gained its first motorcycle patrol unit in 2015, and it has since helped the police department in a variety of ways, according to Chief Kevin Lunsford.

"We started seeing a large increase in traffic and traffic accidents around town. We're trying to figure out ways to address that," Lunsford said at Tuesday's meeting. "We have seen some positive growth in our community, and I think we're continuing to see that, but with that comes additional traffic. Our streets aren't getting bigger and it is getting very congested. We entered into the motorcycle program because of the agility, the mobility and it is much easier to get in and around the more high-trafficked areas. It has proved to work very well. It has been a great (public relations) tool. We use it at National Night Out and the Citizens Police Academy, but (the officer's) main focus is traffic enforcement and accident investigation."

One of the approved motorcycles will be replacing the current one on the streets after it suffered significant damaged when the officer accidentally hit a deer early one morning. Lunsford stated the motorcycle was not a "total loss" and that funds from the insurance will be going toward the purchase of the new bike.

Lunsford stated that the damaged motorcycle was originally on schedule to be replaced in April of next year, and by the time it would've been repaired it would've been time to replace the motorcycle.

"I've had several citizens tell me that they see that motorcycle policeman all over town," Lunsford said. "I think from my standpoint and from the citizen input that I'm getting that it has been really beneficial."

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