November 26 – Tazewell, Va. – Motorists traveling the roads of Tazewell County are used to sheriff’s deputies in patrol cars patrolling the area, but soon they will also see officers on motorcycles patrolling the roads.
Sheriff Brian Hieatt announced Monday the creation of a new motorcycle unit for the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office. The unit was formed when the sheriff’s office acquired two BMW motorcycles through the Virginia Asset Forfeiture Program and two Harley Davidson Police Duty motorcycles with a grant through the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice. Local contributions also helped get the new team started.
“We were fortunate to receive a donation from Marshall Miller & Associates to ensure the motorcycles are equipped with radar and emergency equipment that will allow these deputies to make a positive impact in the county,” Hieatt said.
Three deputies — Detective Chris Vance, Deputy Aaron Doud and Deputy Brandon Blanton — attended and graduated from the Virginia State Police Motor Program, which trains state troopers, deputies and officers across the state, Hieatt said. The motorcycle program provided free guidance and training to the sheriff’s office.
Hieatt said the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office will be the only law enforcement agency in the 15 counties of Southwest Virginia to have a trained motorcycle unit.
First Lt. CE McNerlin said there are situations where motorcycles have advantages over regular police cruisers.
“Well, in some incidents these guys are driving these vehicles on the roadway and they sit a little higher and they can see into another vehicle a lot easier,” he said. “You have a different view and perspective with this than you would with a car. And plus, God forbid, if you have a nasty collision somewhere and traffic is blocked, moving these things through an area allows you to be able to get to the scene to to assist individuals and begin response to the incident.”
Motorcycles can also make officers more approachable while on duty.
“Not only that, with motorcycles, people who sometimes don’t even think about approaching law enforcement, they will see that and it will give them some kind of talking point and they will be more relaxed and confident to come forward and with a person to talk officer,” said McNerlin.
In addition to speed and traffic enforcement patrols, the new motorcycle team will provide escort services for funerals and visiting dignitaries, as well as educational and other community functions.
Even before the new squad was announced Monday, Vass and Doud assisted the Virginia State Police motorcade on Nov. 2 when they helped escort then-presidential candidate Donald Trump to a rally in Salem, Virginia, Hieatt said.
“I’ve been riding motorcycles since I was a kid,” Blanton said next to the BMW he’ll be riding. “Then the sheriff came in and laid it all out. I think it’s great to be able to work for a sheriff who puts so much into the county. He asked me and I felt like, as someone who has been motoring his whole life, drove, wanted to take a step forward and I could make a difference not only in a patrol car, but also on a motorcycle.”
Blanton said he hopes motorcyclists traversing the Back of the Dragon route through the county will be more likely to stop for a sheriff’s office motorcycle than a regular sheriff’s cruiser.
“We have wanted and worked on this program for a long time and I am pleased to have the assistance of Marshall Miller & Associates, DCJS and the Virginia State Police. We were able to launch this program without requesting an increase in the sheriff’s office budget. Hieatt said. “We have also received a specialized grant, focused on traffic enforcement, to pay these officers to patrol high-risk areas where we receive many complaints, and to combat traffic violations that contribute to accidents, such as speeding, distracted driving and reckless driving to ride. .”
Contact Greg Jordan at
gjordan@bdtonline.com
Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
