My gear saved me on Wed 03-26-2014

[Greg 03]

I almost always wear some variation of riding gear mainly full face helmet, gloves, riding boots, and an armored jacket. On the work bike they only allow me to wear the standard wool blend duty uniform with old school steel toe cav boots which are not armored, and one of those horrendous Seer half helmets. I've been constantly bringing up better riding gear ever since coming to the motor unit. I find it ridiculous that I wear better safety gear to and from work than in the line of duty... That being said I may have more ammo now.

On Wednesday we had our annual motor re-certification. It was pretty cold so I had several layers on and full gear as follows:
Sidi Storm boots, AGV Kevlar lined cargo pants, Aerostitch AD1 pants, Joe Rocket armored jacket, Joe Rocket riding gauntlets, and a Scorpion EXO helmet. I was making a slow and low left turn when my left edge of my boot caught the asphalt and yanked my foot off of the floor plate. The bike went down hard with my foot bent backwards to the outside, slamming my knee into the pavement. My leg got pinned backwards under the bike and then the bike decided to ride me for about thirty or thirty five feet. When I stopped the bike was off the ground using my foot and ankle as a stand. The boys came running over and pulled the beast off of me and I began assessing the damage. Initially I only felt pain in my ankle. I was able to get back on and finish the rest of my re-certification but then started getting sore. After several X-rays and a good once over from the doc it looks like I got away with some tears in my ankle and wrist ligaments but no other damage. My shoulder, hip, and ribs felt like I had been slammed to the ground but I didn't even have any bruising. The only marks on my gear was some rubber smudged off my boot and a small paint chip out of my helmet.

If I had been wearing my regular work gear I'd still be in the hospital probably with multiple broken bones and needing skin grafts.

 

[gregory]

glad to hear you came out relatively unscathed with all year of duty gear, hopefully this will help you guys get the proper coverage that you need.

glad to hear you came out relatively unscathed with all year of duty gear, hopefully this will help you guys get the proper coverage that you need.

 

[Pterodactyl]

It is amazing to see Motor Officers riding in gear from the 40s, and sometimes in short sleeves. Just doesn't make sense as you well know. Glad you were not injured more severely.

 

[Greg 03]

It is amazing to see Motor Officers riding in gear from the 40s, and sometimes in short sleeves. Just doesn't make sense as you well know. Glad you were not injured more severely.

We wear short sleeves most of the time and long sleeves when it's colder out but that thin wool blend makes no difference. The only riding coat we're authorized to wear is a leather police motor coat that we have to pay for out of pocket. I wear it for special events or when I'll be outside for extended time frames in the cold. Other than that it's just straight up duty uniforms with the regular jacket.

 

[HotRodZilla]

FWIW Greg, I could send you the specs on what our guys are wearing. Not sure of the brands, but they now use modular helmets and gray textile mesh armored jackets.

I wanna say Nolan and Joe Rocket, but it just occurred to me that as many times as I have ridden with them, I never pay attention to what they have on. They still wear the stupid boots, pants, and calfskin gloves, but the helmets and jackets are a huge step up.

Lemme know. Maybe the "If they can do it, we can do it too" mentality will work in your favor. Just remember that if your administrators have the same delicate egos mine have, you'll have to make them think it's their idea.

Glad you didn't get really hurt. A couple years ago one of my buddies dumped the bike in training, got caught up, and ended up spiral fracturing his femur. It took surgery, plates and pins to fix it.

 

[Fred W]

Glad you made out OK.

You might want to get it documented (in writing) that they refuse to allow you to wear proper modern safety gear, so that you (or your family) can sue them if something were ever to happen to you that could have been mitigated or avoided by wearing modern gear.

And be sure to let them know the purpose of having them sign-off on this evidence. Maybe that will give them a reason to reconsider their position beforehand?

It's hard to believe that any employer would be willing to take such huge financial risks in this day and age.

 

[lonerider]

I'm real glad to hear your injuries weren't severe (hope you heal quickly) and best of luck in your quest for better riding gear while on duty.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

I do understand that the motorcycle officer's uniform has to allow freedom of movement so the officer can perform his duties. Still with modern armored clothing and helmets it would seem that some modernization is in order.

While it is often easy to think of the police as "The Enemy", they are supposed to serve and protect. If my tax dollars are paying their salary, I want to protect my investment. Decent safety gear would be cheap insurance.

Also, having watched some police motorcycle competition has impressed me greatly. Some of those guys can really ride.

 

[BigOgre]

Just curious Greg, how do the other guys in your unit feel about changing the gear? Some time ago there was a push here (through our Uniform Committee- strictly advisory) to switch the whole department over from the leather winter jackets to some form of textile ones. The guys proposing it probably thought it was a no-brainer but they came up against quite a push-back. The high-quality leathers with removable liners were hard-fought for over the years and they shouldn't just be given up but the biggest argument was that they looked 'traditional'. The fact that the newer stuff was more functional, warm, and comfortable was beside the point. Change comes hard.

Glad you didn't suffer anything more serious. Sadly in my neck of the woods many of the bike units are following the mounted units off into the sunset. Cost effectiveness and safety - read lawsuits - are usually given as reasons. What's left are mainly seen at ceremonial functions.

 

[Greg 03]

FWIW Greg, I could send you the specs on what our guys are wearing. Not sure of the brands, but they now use modular helmets and gray textile mesh armored jackets.

Yes, please! That would be great. I'll send you my dept email.

 

[Greg 03]

I've kept all of my dept emails back and forth to distributors etc and made copies in the event of future incidents. I readily admit I do push myself and the bike harder in the training environment but simply due to hours and hours of working from the motor during the day I think there is a real possibility of having an on duty mishap. We've had several officers with broken ankles, knee injuries, etc from prior crashes but so far nothing too major. I've had multiple close calls with motorists just not seeing me and taking my lane away by swinging wide thru turns etc.

Redfish- The term I keep using to try to push for better gear is liability reduction. I figured out our gear would cost around $1500 per officer. Most of our guys stay in the section around five years and due to recent retirements that could easily be the case. Helmets typically have a five year life span so I figure it at a $300 per year insurance policy. If I get hurt or killed in the line of duty because gear isn't made available it opens the city up to huge liabilities but if a motor officer has the gear available but refuses to wear it... well then that's a different matter.

Admins: Why is there a limit to the number of posts I can "like" per day? So far I have very much appreciated everyone's comments and would like to express that. Guess I just did, lol.

 

[HotRodZilla]

People are funny when they say, "Well, document what you don't like so you can sue later." What you don't understand is we have way less rights than most other employees. Most don't have unions, and even those of us with unions aren't that well represented. They are really Collective Bargaining Organizations. It is against the law for us to strike or organize a slow down.

The same goes for Greg's equipment or mine. Any good attorney will say, "Greg, you don't like the equipment? Don't ride the bike. You can go back to patrol in the safety of a car and have no worries. Which will it be?" There is no loss of pay, except for the massive amounts of overtime most traffic guys get. Except, because overtime is not contractual and is not guaranteed, so long as we are making our base pay, the dept has no liability.

Then, if Greg is determined to be a complainer, they'll make his life miserable. What they will do will be morally ****** up but perfectly legal. He'll end up driving the oldest car in the fleet. He'll get ****** assignments, and he'll be blackballed from other units. He'll miss getting the spot to the other guy by "a half point...try again next time."

And then people have the nerve to wonder why we're not in the mood to kiss their ***. Don't believe me, ask around. So, Greg's smart play is to get info, and I wasn't kidding when I said he has to make them think it's their idea. If he does that correctly, he'll get results...and it will be a slow, uphill fight.

 

[escapefjrtist]

<snip> Also, having watched some police motorcycle competition has impressed me greatly. Some All of those guys can really ride.

No kidding. Niehart and I witnessed a competition a couple years ago and what those LEOs could do with their M/C was impressive, even more-so seeing it live. IIRC, most had decent protective gear on as well.

--G

 

[Fred W]

People are funny when they say, "Well, document what you don't like so you can sue later." What you don't understand is we have way less rights than most other employees. Most don't have unions, and even those of us with unions aren't that well represented. They are really Collective Bargaining Organizations. It is against the law for us to strike or organize a slow down.
The same goes for Greg's equipment or mine. Any good attorney will say, "Greg, you don't like the equipment? Don't ride the bike. You can go back to patrol in the safety of a car and have no worries. Which will it be?" There is no loss of pay, except for the massive amounts of overtime most traffic guys get. Except, because overtime is not contractual and is not guaranteed, so long as we are making our base pay, the dept has no liability.

Then, if Greg is determined to be a complainer, they'll make his life miserable. What they will do will be morally ****** up but perfectly legal. He'll end up driving the oldest car in the fleet. He'll get ****** assignments, and he'll be blackballed from other units. He'll miss getting the spot to the other guy by "a half point...try again next time."

And then people have the nerve to wonder why we're not in the mood to kiss their ***. Don't believe me, ask around. So, Greg's smart play is to get info, and I wasn't kidding when I said he has to make them think it's their idea. If he does that correctly, he'll get results...and it will be a slow, uphill fight.

If that is true, and I have no reason to doubt you AJ, then that is just plain wrong headed thinking. Why should a municipality that employs policemen be any less culpable for providing the safest possible work environment for their workers than any other business? In all other businesses there are required reasonable standards of safety (via OSHA, etc.), and employers are required to provide proper Personal Protective Equipment , train their employees on proper use of the PPE, and insist on its diligent use.

My post was not so much suggesting that Greg should actually sue them, God forbid that he were to have an injury on the job. It was more to blatantly suggest to those in charge that they are not doing everything in their power to provide the safest possible work environment, and that the equipment they require be worn on the job is not fully adequate by modern standards.

The old argument that an employee can always just change jobs or job assignments if he or she believes that the employer's safety standards and required PPE are unsafe doesn't fly in the private sector, so why should it be true in the public one?

Motor police in other countries wear good safety gear. Why do US motor officers have to be saddled with the less safe, traditional, uniform?

 

[Greg 03]

People are funny when they say, "Well, document what you don't like so you can sue later." What you don't understand is we have way less rights than most other employees. Most don't have unions, and even those of us with unions aren't that well represented. They are really Collective Bargaining Organizations. It is against the law for us to strike or organize a slow down.
The same goes for Greg's equipment or mine. Any good attorney will say, "Greg, you don't like the equipment? Don't ride the bike. You can go back to patrol in the safety of a car and have no worries. Which will it be?" There is no loss of pay, except for the massive amounts of overtime most traffic guys get. Except, because overtime is not contractual and is not guaranteed, so long as we are making our base pay, the dept has no liability.

Then, if Greg is determined to be a complainer, they'll make his life miserable. What they will do will be morally ****** up but perfectly legal. He'll end up driving the oldest car in the fleet. He'll get ****** assignments, and he'll be blackballed from other units. He'll miss getting the spot to the other guy by "a half point...try again next time."

And then people have the nerve to wonder why we're not in the mood to kiss their ***. Don't believe me, ask around. So, Greg's smart play is to get info, and I wasn't kidding when I said he has to make them think it's their idea. If he does that correctly, he'll get results...and it will be a slow, uphill fight.

If that is true, and I have no reason to doubt you AJ, then that is just plain wrong headed thinking. Why should a municipality that employs policemen be any less culpable for providing the safest possible work environment for their workers than any other business? In all other businesses there are required reasonable standards of safety (via OSHA, etc.), and employers are required to provide proper Personal Protective Equipment , train their employees on proper use of the PPE, and insist on its diligent use.

My post was not so much suggesting that Greg should actually sue them, God forbid that he were to have an injury on the job. It was more to blatantly suggest to those in charge that they are not doing everything in their power to provide the safest possible work environment, and that the equipment they require be worn on the job is not fully adequate by modern standards.

The old argument that an employee can always just change jobs or job assignments if he or she believes that the employer's safety standards and required PPE are unsafe doesn't fly in the private sector, so why should it be true in the public one?

Motor police in other countries wear good safety gear. Why do US motor officers have to be saddled with the less safe, traditional, uniform?

First off, Zilla nailed it. Thanks brother. I brought up permanently assigned cars for police marksmen once during SRT training. The only people there were operators and the chief... He specifically said that he wanted to hear what we wanted or needed. I said it would be a damn shame if somebody died in a situation that I could intervene in if I was at the station loading my patrol car. Two days later I got called on the carpet and told to keep my mouth shut or I could turn in my gear. Our uniform committee only meets once a year and changing anything is like pulling teeth. The amount of red tape in a police department makes the Army look like a well oiled machine and I thought NOTHING would ever be more bureaucratic than that! We can't even just order our uniforms out of a police supply catalog like Gall's or anything else. It has to be a special blend fabric with a certain cut from a certain uniform supply company... blah blah blah... translation we wear stuff made out of unobtanium that costs us an arm and a leg and God forbid anyone ever complains about it at all.

Just to clarify... I am VERY proud of being a motor officer and despite a constant never ending barrage of anti police BS to put up with I like being a cop. The moments I can do my job and make somebody have a better day because I've showed up and helped them makes it worth the sacrifices I make. But, I do have the never ending thought in the back of my head that one of these days I won't have my radar turned up and won't see the car in my blind spot, or the car changing lanes with out signalling, or the... well you get the point. I keep my head on a swivel and I think my number one piece of safety is encased inside my skull. It would be nice to better my odds though!

 

[SacramentoMike]

What about the kind of undergarment with built-in padding? I don't know the brands and don't have any myself, but I'm sure we've all seen it. Yep, agree your municipality should provide safe gear, but till they do. . .

Funny, but our local cops (city, sheriff, and CHP) all wear bare minimum riding gear--like a half-helmet and gloves--but now and then I've seen training classes out riding on the city streets all together, riding police bikes with plain white helmets, but all wearing unmarked full Motorport kevlar riding suits just like mine. WTF? So they have them, they just don't use them?

 

[HotRodZilla]

Mike, the problem with gear like that is our equipment. Under my uniform is my vest. I will NOT leave the house with the intent of doing cop work without it.

On my belt I carry: A Springfield 1911, a digital recorder, a Taser, a 10 round magazine and 2, 8 round magazines, my radio, a flashlight, a flashlight ring, two sets of handcuffs and a can of OC. My shirt has a notebook, a pen, a handcuff key a car key and my badge. My pants have two knives, an emergency tool and my wallet. I do not carry a first aid kit, a rip hobble, an ASP or laytex gloves because I'm **** out of room.

When I grab my rifle, I pocket an extra magazine. IF it's something that has the potential to get really ugly, I grab my tac-vest with gloves, first aid kit, 6 rifle mags, zip cuffs, gas mask two flashbangs and MRE. Finding places to put all that **** is a hassle. What's even stupider is I only carry the stuff I use regularly.

As Greg mentioned, we have to wear special shirts. 2 of them with patches just cost me $175. Pants are about the same. A manufacturer could make pants that look like cop pants with padding integrated, but I bet they'd be close to $250 per pair. It's a small market and uniform manufacturers are for profit businesses.

 

[Greg 03]

What about the kind of undergarment with built-in padding? I don't know the brands and don't have any myself, but I'm sure we've all seen it. Yep, agree your municipality should provide safe gear, but till they do. . .
Funny, but our local cops (city, sheriff, and CHP) all wear bare minimum riding gear--like a half-helmet and gloves--but now and then I've seen training classes out riding on the city streets all together, riding police bikes with plain white helmets, but all wearing unmarked full Motorport kevlar riding suits just like mine. WTF? So they have them, they just don't use them?

Yup what Zilla said... our uniforms are required by SOG to be tailored, I even have to put on certain pants in the winter when I wear long johns. Like most cops do, I carry pretty much the same "basic gear" he does except I don't get to carry a 1911 (lucky *******!) just a Glock 21. I do like that idea though. Maybe allow us motor cops to wear our inclement weather uniforms IE: BDU's with that gear underneath? Thanks Mike you've given me another angle to try!

 

[ionbeam]

4/1/14 Plymouth Ma Two Plymouth officers were riding side by side when one veteran officer fell off his motorcycle and later died. The motorcycles did not touch and they have no idea why the officer fell off his bike. It has been reported that the bike and officer slid down the road the length of a block. FWIW, the officer was wearing a half helmet.

Police Chief Michael Botieri said Maloney was traveling with another motorcycle officer at the time of the crash, but it does not appear that the bikes touched each other and there is no obvious reason why Maloney's bike went down."There's nothing evident at the scene that would tell us what happened," said Botieri.