Snoqualmie Police have two-wheeled help
Published 2:37 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008
It can zip down a hill for rescue, navigate through crowds and glide on any local trail.
You might have seen it trolling on Railroad Avenue during
Snoqualmie Railroad Days.
Is it the Batmobile? A parade float gone astray?
Give up? It’s the Snoqualmie Division of Public
Safety-Police Division’s new crime-fighting and
rescue tool — a Honda XR Motorcycle.
Officer Derek Kasel was in charge of the project, and said he
anticipates the red-and-white cycle will be used during community and school
events, for traffic jams, search and rescue and party patrols. It will also be used
in conjunction with school resource officers to promote good relations
with children.
“It will be useful any time when we have large amounts of people
and limited access for conventional patrol vehicles,” Kasel said, adding that
it will not only be used for Snoqualmie, but will benefit the whole Valley.
He anticipates the vehicle’s lifespan will be at least 10 years.
The cycle was purchased through private donations and a raffle that
was held in July at Adair’s on the Green. Snoqualmie police officers sold the
$5 tickets to “anyone and everyone,” and ended up with enough money to
buy one motorcycle, plus a bit more to put toward a second Honda.
“I’ve never won anything before in a raffle,” said North Bend
resident Jerry Moe, who won Nintendo 64 and Gameboy video-game systems.
“But I didn’t so much go for the raffle as to support the police department.”
Utilizing motorcycles as a police tool is new for the department, as
well as the county, according to Kasel. In fact, police equipment is
usually funded by taxpayers instead of donations.
“This is the first time ever that the Police Division has sought
private money for equipment,” he added.
The idea for the program came from Snoqualmie’s officers,
who wanted a way to get through crowds and reach difficult places, such
as down steep hills. Kasel explained that there are at least 20 miles of area
trails that are inaccessible to patrol cars and the department’s bicycles, so the
motorcycle is a logical solution.
Besides donating money or raffle prizes, many local businesses
helped with the project, including I-90 Motor Sports in Issaquah, which sold
the motorcycle at a reduced cost of $5,200. The vehicle’s lights and
siren were put on by FCI in North Bend, and Chinook Lumber in North
Bend is selling lumber and materials at cost for the construction of a
motorcycle shelter.
“We’ve had tremendous support from the community and from
businesses throughout the state,” Kasel said.
The vehicle was received Aug. 4, just in time for Railroad Days.
Kasel said it came in handy that weekend and was used for clearing a blocked
trail for the Ridge to Rails race, patrolling the festival events for safety,
reuniting six lost children with their parents, and taking water to two
dehydrated women at the bottom of Snoqualmie Falls.
“It was a success all the way around. I couldn’t have asked for
a more successful weekend,” Kasel said.
He and other Snoqualmie Department of Public Safety officers
wanted to issue a “special thanks” to
businesses who participated in the raffle, including Adair Truman, Curt’s
Hairstyling, the Snoqualmie Ridge Resident Owners Association,
the Snoqualmie Falls Candy Factory, I-90 Motor Sports, Bell Helmets, the
Upper Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of commerce, Children’s Services
of Sno-Valley and FCI in North Bend.
Since the plan was to have two Hondas, Kasel still needs $4,000
to complete the second motorcycle’s purchase. He’s accepting
tax-deductible donations through the Police Reserves. For half the price of the
cycle, the Police Division will advertise the donor’s name on the side.
Anyone interested in donating should call Kasel at (425) 888-3333.
