Mobile Police Train On Motorcycles For Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras Mobile Police Department It’s a refresher course for local law enforcement and a few out-of-towners.

by Chad Petri

Published: Thu, February 19, 2009 - 5:44 pm CST Last Updated: Thu, February 19, 2009 - 5:46 pm CST

It may look like a leisurely lesson in bike riding, but this training is serious.

“They've got to learn to negotiate not just those small spaces but beads, moon pie and candy in the road as well,” says Mobile Police Sergeant Bill Bedgood. He leads this group of law enforcement officers in a training session at Municipal Park. Officers say this course is very important because a Mardi Gras parade presents special challenges.

“You have to be mindful of people and small children that reach under the barricades, so there's a lot to watch out for,” says Alabama State Trooper Corporal Joe Piggott. With of the activity going on during Mardi Gras, motorcycle cops say that's some of the best training they could possibly get.

“It's stressful it's hectic it's going to challenge their abilities as motorcycle operators it just doesn't get much better than this,” says Bedgood. Motorcycles let officers zip from one place to the other along narrow parade routes. The Mardi Gras crowds present such a unique challenge; a small group of officers from Michigan are also here to learn the ropes. They say Mobile's crowds are something rare.

“You can't get the magnitude of training, the setting I guess is the best way to put it to learn from,” says John Hankins with the Police Department team from Inkster, Michigan. Those officers will be sworn-in during a ceremony before Thursday night’s parade.

WKRG.com » News Stream » Mardi_gras

Video
Photo

Embed:

WKRG.com Related

» 2009 Mardi Gras Parade Schedule

∞ Motorcycle Safety Course Info

News –› Alabama

News –› Mobile

Discuss this in the forum

Email to a Friend

Printer Friendly

Download Video

Bikermike Says:

Thu, Feb 19, 2009 at 8:12 pm

these officers have a very dangerous job and the average person can’t even imagine just how dangerous it can be,anyone on a motorcycle is like a moving target to unobservant motorist busy talking on their cell phones among the many other distractions they encounter during their daily commute.hats off to these guys they are doing a heck of a job trying to keep everyone safe so please try to look out for these officers and show them the respect that they deserve as well as anyone on two wheels,RIDE SAFE AND STAY ALIVE ! .