TAZEWELL, Va. – The Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office has announced they’re launching a new motorcycle unit.
Tazewell County Sheriff Brian Hieatt says the unit was formed after the sheriff’s office acquired two BMW motorcycles through the state’s asset forfeiture program and two Harley Davidson motorcycles from a grant through the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services.
The sheriff’s office has three deputies that are now certified from the Virginia State Police’s motor program. Hieatt says the motorcycles will be used for patrol functions as well as community events.
A detective at the sheriff’s office who was selected to be in the newly formed squad says he has 25 years of experience riding but says the training he and the others underwent was intense.
“We learned basic riding maneuvers and then precision riding. We had to ride in some cones at slow speed and then they turned the bikes to where we were riding a little faster in the courses. We had to run over obstacles, ride up and down grass hills. There was a shooting course that we did off the bike,” said Detective Chris Vass.
Hieatt says Tazewell County is believed to be the only county throughout 15 counties in southwest Virginia that have a trained motorcycle unit. The bikes are equipped with lights and sirens as well as radar thanks to a donation from Marshall Miller and Associates.
Hieatt adds that before the unit was officially announced the deputies were called in to assist with a special escort earlier this month. Two of the newly trained deputies assisted the Virginia State Police’s motorcade in escorting president elect Donald Trump at a rally in Salem, Virginia on Nov. 2.
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