MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia University Police Department is adding two motorcycles with plans to patrol some areas that in the past have been difficult to access.
“We’re always looking for ways to get our officers into the places where they need to be for the protection of the University community,” Chief Sherry St. Clair said.
Captain Matthew Swain said they have received a warm reception from the public when they’ve been used at Milan Puskar Stadium for home football games.
“It has been a talking point,” Swain said. “We’ve had them at some football games and a lot of people ask questions about them and want their pictures taken with them and things like that.”
The motorcycles provide a combination of agility and relative speed that make some areas much easier and quicker to reach.
“One of the areas we’ve struggled in have been getting in some of the tight areas like the Core Arboretum, the rail-trails and areas that aren’t patrolled heavily because of the terrain,” Swain said.
Swain said they want the motorcycle officers to be highly visible and accessible. Students and residents will likely start seeing the new motorcycles in the future.
“Our goal is to be noticeable and be out and about so people can get a hold of us if they need,” Swain said. “Try to make sure people know that we are out in areas that aren’t normally patrolled.”
Two officers are certified to operate the bikes currently and that number is expected to increase in time. Swain said the motorcycle addition could be a draw for some officers to join the department as well.
“It’s a recruiting tool as well,” Swain said. “New officers can be with us and have their motorcycle endorsement and go through a course here at UPD to certified to ride them,” Swain said. “It gives us another element to be out and about.”