Police Ride Johnny Pag New Motorcycles to Patrol Neighborhoods

Police Roll Out New Motorcycles to Patrol Neighborhoods

avannah-Chatham police are always looking for better ways to patrol our neighborhoods. Today they rolled out new motorcycles. They go where police cars cannot, and can get there in a hurry.

Police motorcycles cruise through Savannah all the time, but they are not like the new ones. They are 300cc water-cooled motorcycles made in China by Johnny Pag. The motorcycles are smaller and better for patrolling neighborhoods like Windsor Forest.

Police Captain Richard Zapal has been working to get them in his Southside Precinct for months and took them to the streets for the first time today. "It makes your job a little easier, you can get into the neighborhood, you can get into smaller areas, streets, paths," Zapal said.

Neighbors took notice. "What an asset for the city," says Jackie Haberman, president of the Windsor Forest Neighborhoods Association.

Haberman heard police on the southside were getting these two bikes. She said, "I'm glad to see them here."

The motorcycles are fairly quiet, so they won't disturb neighbors and make it easier for police to catch crooks.

Cpt. Zapal said, "If we have a burglary problem in a neighborhood and we are looking and trying to find who ever is out there doing this stuff. If they hear you coming they are going to disappear, this way we can kind of sneak up on people."

Police have tried other small, easy to maneuver vehicles in the past. Remember the scooters and the Segways?

"We try everything," Cpt. Zapal said. "What works we'll use, what doesn't work we won't use."

By the looks of things, these motorcycles are here to stay.

People won't just see these new motorcycles patrolling neighborhoods. Police will use them to go places patrol cars cannot, like local parks. Officers rode them along Lake Mayer today and not even the geese seemed to mind.

Police already have plans to use the bikes this Christmas in the mall parking lots and next St. Patrick's Day.

Haberman added, "I'm looking forward to seeing them frequently."

Police hope to add more of these motorcycles in the coming months.

Reported by Michelle Paynter, mpaynter@wtoc.com
http://www.wtoc.com/Global/story.asp?S=6466169