Police motorcycle unit being revived as part of Kalamazoo’s proposed budget

KALAMAZOO, MI — Kalamazoo town officials are contemplating a system to revive the community basic safety department’s law enforcement motorbike unit.

The city’s proposed spending budget, which is up for ultimate approval, contains the obtain or lease of a few bikes for the Kalamazoo Department of General public Basic safety fleet.

The three Harley Davidson Harley-Davidson Electra Glide motorcycles are in the proposed 2023 funds that the Kalamazoo City Commission is envisioned to think about for ultimate approval on Tuesday, Jan. 17, Deputy Chief Matt Huber advised MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette.

The town obtained bids from two bike dealerships to invest in or lease the Harleys — Grand Rapids Harley-Davidson and Perry Harley-Davidson in Portage.

The acquire price tag would be concerning $66,246.75 and $86,000.73 for the three bikes, in accordance to a bid document from the town. Perry also furnished a quotation for a lease, at $19,555.56 for every yr for 3 bikes for a complete of $58,666.68.

KDPS has had a Motor Unit for almost 100 decades, at a person time consisting of seven bikes, Huber reported.

Between 2016-2022, the device was inactive because of to lease renewals, lack of properly trained officers and the pandemic, he explained. During this absence, KDPS has had to rely on Motor Units from other legislation enforcement associates including the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office and the Michigan Condition Law enforcement, he stated.

“KDPS bikes will largely be utilized to engage in special enforcement capabilities, manage special information, take part in motorcades and processions, local community engagement events and other police actions exactly where the maneuverability and visibility of law enforcement motorcycles is of price,” Huber explained.

More responsibilities will be on an as-desired basis to health supplement area patrol efforts and website traffic enforcement, he mentioned.

The Motor Unit will be operated typically all through the hotter months and not in the course of weighty or ongoing rain or inclement weather conditions.

Winter operations, like use in the Kalamazoo Holiday Parade, will be on a circumstance-by-situation basis and temperature dependent, he explained.

In 2022, KDPS despatched 9 officers via an 80-hour coaching study course to certify their driving competencies. KDPS stated the motorcycles are built for law enforcement use.

The bikes will be black and white, and product 12 months 2023 or more recent, the bid sheet states. The bid is pending approval.

The motorcycles really should have a minimum amount engine displacement 1250cc, a thrust-to-communicate change that can be applied with Motorola police radio devices, a law enforcement crisis reaction kit that involves siren speaker, siren amplifier, general public amplification with microphone, law enforcement lights, and a switch that lets close to 15 minutes of power to police emergency machines with ignition off.

The supply day really should be no later on than April 1, the bid doc states.

The proposed 2023 spending budget involves $299.9 million in expenditures — the maximum total ever in the metropolis price range, metropolis officials explained.

• Check out Kalamazoo’s 2023 proposed spending plan overview, with full details in this article.

The general public security department’s proposed spending plan of $34.5 million is the premier of the city departments, creating up about 45% of all department expenditures.

The 2022 amended funds demonstrates $33 million for the department in 2022.

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