Harley-Davison and TEEX are 'gearing up' to provide local law enforcement with a new standard for police motorcycle training.
Assisting local law enforcement's motorcycle units, this program is designed for peace officers to receive basic, to advanced, motorcycle operator training. A police motorcycle instructor certification course will also be offered.
“This is an effort we are all very proud to be a part of,” said John Sharp, Chancellor of The Texas A&M University System. “TEEX training keeps those who protect and serve us safe and on the road.”
This program will initially offer three training courses: basic, advanced, and instructor-level.
Basic training is 80 hours of practical training for those going directly into a police motor unit. Advanced training is for experienced riders who are part of an agency looking to enhance their riding skills. The Instructor-Level training course, once completed, will certify the participant to customize their own agency training program and continue their training internally.
"As a former law enforcement administrator, I know training is key to managing risk. You want to attend a manufacturer-specific school because there are subtleties about riding these bikes in high-risk situations that an operator has to be attuned to, and this curriculum is tailored specifically for that," said Dr. John M. Ray, Ph.D., Director of the TEEX Institute for Law Enforcement and Protective Services Excellence.
With Harley-Davidson providing the motorcycles and servicing on-site; this is a significant advantage over other courses that require an officer to bring their own motorcycle.
Using a Harley-Davidson bike with a mechanical crew on-site to fix issues guarantees, to a greater degree, that the participating officer will complete the training. As opposed to only getting halfway through and having a bike that they can't finish their training on.
“Since 1908, Harley-Davidson has been supporting and providing Motor Officers and Rescue Personnel with the most legendary motorcycles in the world,” said John Dedeo, GM Field Sales for Harley-Davidson. “We are proud to partner with TEEX to create a comprehensive training program that allows peace officers to focus completely on improving their skills.”
Kyle McNew, TEEX Training Manager, Institute for Law Enforcement and Protective Services Excellence said "We'll be offering the training in Texas as well as other locations across the country. Ultimately this gives us an opportunity to save agencies money by sending their officers to training closer to home, rather than sending them to Texas."