Naperville cop motorcycle unit could be on borrowed time

Naperville’s four-bike motorcycle division could be scrapped if some council members have their way.

City Councilman Grant Wehrli said the motorcycles need to go for many reasons, including the nearly $2,000 cost to uniform each officer and send each one to a special motorcycle-policing class at Northwestern University. There also are more workers’ compensation claims, and the costs of maintaining and equipping a vehicle the department uses only six to eight months a year.

“It seems that we have five officers trained on the motorcycle and four of them have been hurt while on the motorcycle,” Wehrli said. “They seem to be of limited use seasonably, and they are a cost-negative influence on our budget because of the workman’s comp claims.”

The city’s bikes are equipped with moving radar that allows officers on motorcycles to clock motorists driving directly in front of them.

Like most departments, Naperville also has hand-held radar guns. As a result, officers on motorcycles can be posted just about anywhere and catch speeders with ease.

Mayor George Pradel, a longtime Naperville police officer, never rode a motorcycle on the force, but he wanted to. Not only can they be an effective police tool, he said, but they look nice and attract positive attention.

“I absolutely believe the motorcycles have a place on the Naperville Police Department. When I was on the traffic division I wanted us to have them so bad,” he said. “Not only can they be useful for catching speeders but they can get into so many places squads cant, like rushing to an accident on a packed Route 59 in the summer.”

Councilman Robert Fieseler and Wehrli disagree.

“It’s gotcha enforcement. I’m all for enforcing the laws but when we’re hiding behind trees it gives the perception that we’re a ‘gotcha’ department,” Wehrli said.

Fieseler said he’s skeptical of the city’s need and believes they draw just as much, if not more negative attention.

“If you get nailed the old fashioned way by an officer in a squad, that’s one thing, but getting caught by a radar gun hiding behind a tree can leave people with a bad taste in their mouth about our enforcement techniques,” Fieseler said. “In my opinion, a motorcycle is not a significant part of the enforcement operation because I don’t know what it contributes that a cop in a squad can’t.”

Council members Judy Brodhead and Paul Hinterlong said they prefer to wait for a presentation from Police Chief David Dial on the motorcycle unit.

“I’m going to wait to see the report,” Hinterlong said. “I don’t have any real concerns but if what comes forward proves that these things are more costly than they’re worth we’ve got to look at it and see if it’s a program we want to continue.”

Dial is expected to present a report to the city council within the next month highlighting the activities and costs associated with the division and why the city should keep them.

“Yes, there is certainly a cost associated with them and I estimate it would be a service reduction and we would not be as effective as we are now in some areas,” Dial said during Monday evening’s budget workshop. “I’d like to submit a report to the council and highlight all of the activities we do and the costs associate with it and let the council make a decision.”

Dial and other members of the department declined to comment further Tuesday on the costs associated with the program or the benefits.

Council members are expected to make a decision at the Feb. 13 budget workshop.