Motorcyle Unit

The Ohio State Highway Patrol Motorcycle Unit is comprised of highly trained officers who patrol the freeways in the major urban areas of the State of Ohio. The concept of using motorcycles for enforcement dates back to the patrol's inception, when the first officers hit the road on Indian Motorcycles in November of 1933. After a 53 year absence, the motorcycle program was reinstated to address the growing number of motorcyclists in the state of Ohio and the corresponding increase in crashes involving these motorcycles.

Officers assigned to the Motorcycle Unit perform the same duties as their counterparts who work in cruisers with the lone exception of transporting individuals. The motorcycles give the officers the ability to move safely and effectively through congested traffic at crash scenes to help reopen roadways and assist other officers at these crash scenes. In addition, Motor Officers are able to patrol sections of interstate that are very difficult for officers in traditional cruisers to patrol.

In addition the their enforcement efforts, Motor Officers provide safety talks to the motorcycling community and to a variety of groups in areas of motorcycle safety and sharing the road with motorcycles. The current compliment of 16 officers travel to various locations in the state for concentrated enforcement programs that target aggressive, crash causing violations.