riding with the enemy?

by jason Mon Apr 28, 2008 12:36 am

The inspiration for this feature struck me, like all the best ideas, when I least expected it. At the time, I’d always been a little envious of the life of motorcycle traffic cops – a childhood growing up watching CHiPs on the TV must have had more of an effect than I realised – and as an experienced biker myself, their job held obvious attractions. The prospect of being able to cross the City at speed, sirens wailing and blue lights strobing off surrounding buildings whilst cars parted before you must be one hell of a buzz.

I wanted to experience it for myself – not as a passenger, not accompanying officers in the back of a patrol car. No, I wanted to feel the rush of adrenaline through my own veins as I thumbed the bike into life, switching on the blues and twos and racing to an incident, dependent on my own abilities to pilot a course safely through the rush hour gridlock. I wanted, just for once, to experience the sheer, unadulterated pleasure off setting off Gatso after Gatso, riding at more than double the speed limit without fear of prosecution. Impossible, no? This surely would be a feature idea too far. Still, I had to try. To be honest, I held out little hope of pulling it off when I first had the idea, but the likely impossibility of seeing the plan come to fruition only motivated me more.

No police officer can be considered for transfer to the traffic division of a UK police force until he has completed a two-year probationary period. Even having been accepted as a potential traffic officer, the odds of successfully completing the course are stacked against him. Candidates have to pass both basic and general purpose driving courses before then undergoing training for the UK Police Advanced Drivers’ Course. The course, which is standardised across all force areas in the ffice:smarttags" />UK, lasts four weeks and is an intensive program encompassing a punishing high-speed driving schedule each day.

full article here RIDING WITH THE ENEMY - ON PATROL WITH THE BIKE COPS - blackrat - @ 20six.co.uk