DAYTONA BEACH — As tens of thousands of bikers roll into the city for Biketoberfest, Daytona Beach motorcycle cops will be rolling up for duty on new sets of wheels, which are already turning heads.
Daytona Beach police motorcycle Officer Cody Cassidy is shown Tuesday with one of the department’s new Victory Police Motorcycles Commander I motorcycles.
“You can’t pull up to a stoplight without someone asking you a question,” Daytona Beach Police Officer Cody Cassidy said of his new bike from Victory Police Motorcycles.
Cassidy said he and nine other officers have been working with their new bikes for about a week.
The Daytona Beach Police Department received approval from the City Commission in May to lease a fleet of 12 Commander I models from Victory Police Motorcycles following expiration of the department’s contract with Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley-Davidson.
“Like anyone else, we’re looking for where you get the biggest bang for your buck,” Police Chief Mike Chitwood said. “At the end of the day, we think we got a superior product and better service.”
He said Harley-Davidson has been good to the department over the years, but it was time for a change.
The department will lease the 12 custom motorcycles for four years at a rate of $4,200 monthly and $50,400 annually, which includes full warranty and customary maintenance, according to City Commission records.
The new motorcycles were built in Tucson, Arizona, and delivered ready for action.
Cassidy said one of the major advantages of the new motorcycles is the emergency LED lights system by Brooking Industries that makes he and his fellow motorcycle cops highly visible.
“That’s a major thing, being seen from behind,” Cassidy said. “These things light up like a Christmas tree.”
January 15, 2015- -
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