Jan. 19, 2023 Safety was one of the significant factors for discontinuing Michigan State Police’s motorcycle unit, with four motorcycle troopers dying in the line of duty since 2015.
Source officer.com News
Multiple operational factors, including trooper safety, are being cited by the Michigan State Police for why the agency is disbanding its motorcycle unit.
Four state troopers in the Michigan State Police’s motorcycle unit have died since 2015, WXYZ-TV reports. That concern for troopers’ safety was a significant reason for the change, according to Lt. Michael Shaw.
Troopers who had been on motorcycles will now be assigned to cruisers.
The move was a surprise to some local law enforcement agencies, and it doesn’t come without a bit of uncertainty with how different operations might be run with the motorcycle unit disbanded.
“There are times when we work very closely with them and those assets are in play so we will have to figure out how to pick up that slack,” said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard.