The Caroline County Sheriff’s Office has a little more flexibility since the arrival last month of a 2012 Harley-Davidson Road King motorcycle.
The two-wheeler had only 1,452 miles on the odometer when the department was able to acquire it from Richmond Harley-Davidson, where it was traded in by the Richmond Police Department, said Sheriff Tony Lippa.
The motorcycle was purchased through a law-enforcement grant, Lippa added. “It did not cost the taxpayers any money for that particular item,” he said.
The motorcycle was designed for police work and came equipped with crash bars, a windshield and wiring for emergency lights, Lippa observed.
“Deputy Sam Smith, who came to the department from Spotsylvania was already certified as a police motorcycle cop,” Lippa said. Smith will be the regular operator of the bike.
Although the motorcycle may prove useful in specific law enforcement situations where a patrol car isn’t appropriate, it will also see service on ceremonial occasions, such as leading funeral processions, torch runs and in parades.
Lippa said the motorcycle will also come in handy for the major international bicycle race that will be held in September. One leg of the Sept. 23 event has riders start at King’s Dominion, race up Route 207 to Route 301 and then pedal southeast to Hanover Courthouse.
According to Lippa, George Wills, the owner of Richmond Harley-Davidson, is a Caroline County resident and had been in talks with Lippa, a motorcycle enthusiast himself, about the department’s need for a good used motorcycle.
When the Richmond Police traded in five of them, Wills alerted Lippa to the availability of the pick of the litter at a price that would not require spending any local tax dollars