Motor Program

The Virginia State Police Motor Program has elevated itself to one of the most well respected police motorcycle (motor) programs in the country. This specialty unit continues to be the elite “go to” program for the Virginia State Police because of the versatility of the motorcycle and the dedication of the men and women who have been assigned to the motor unit.

The purpose of the motor program, regardless of where assigned in the state, is to reduce traffic crashes and related deaths, injuries, property loss and assist in the safe and efficient movement of vehicular traffic. The Superintendent of the Department of State Police may assign motorcycles to Divisions, that encompass areas having a large volume of traffic and congestion. The motors are used during peak hours of traffic congestion where mobility is essential to respond in a timely manner to an emergency or need for police services and optimize enforcement action.

The Virginia State Police Motor Unit operates year round and focuses its enforcement efforts on speed, reckless drivers and other aggressive drivers on the highways of the Commonwealth of Virginia. In addition to the usual enforcement action regarding summonses, criminal arrests, and hours spent on special assignments and training the Virginia State Police Motor Unit participates annually in numerous joint enforcement projects and dignitary escorts with motor programs from the majority of local law enforcement agencies throughout the Commonwealth.

Qualifications to become a member of this elite specialty include having a minimum of two years’ experience as a trooper, appropriate motorcycle endorsement, successfully passing the motorcycle pretest to include a favorable recommendation from the Training Officer, high standards of quality in work assignments, and self-motivated character. Once approval is granted from the Training Officer, the trooper will attend an intense two-week Virginia State Police Basic Motorcycle School at the state-of-the-art Virginia State Police Driver Training Complex. The student will be graded daily by the instructors and is required to successfully pass all written and practical tests.

Upon successful graduation from the Virginia State Police Basic Motorcycle School the trooper will be assigned to a motor squad and undergo monthly skills enhancement training and an annual recertification. If the sergeant or trooper fails to successfully pass the monthly training or annual recertification, he or she will be reassigned from the motor program.

The Virginia State Police Motor Program currently operates two brands of police rated motorcycles: the BMW R1250 RT-P and BMW R1200 RT-P and the Harley Davidson FLHTP (Electra Glide) motorcycles.