Harley Davidson Back On Patrol In Moorestown After 80 Years

MOORESTOWN, NJ — It’s been 80 years, but a Harley Davidson is back on patrol with the Moorestown Police Department. Ptl. George Hubel, an avid rider, is taking his passion to work in the form of a 2018 Ultra Classic that was donated to the police department by the Corr family. Hubel is the first Moorestown police officer to man a motorcycle since Ptl. Walt Errickson last took to the streets on a Harley in 1937.

Hubel recently graduated from the Philadelphia Police Department Highway Patrol's two week intensive training course, where he was learned by trainers certified by Northwestern University. This is the first time in his career that Hubel, who has been with the police department since 1993, is riding a motorcycle as a police officer. He called going through the academy and riding a motorcycle for work the most fun he’s had in a long time.

“It was a little scary the first three days,” said Hubel, who has been out on patrol using the bike for about two weeks. He said riding the motorcycle is more interactive than being in a patrol car. “You’re in the public eye. Everyone’s looking at you. Your head’s on a swivel. People are asking you questions. A car will pull up next to you and someone will just start asking questions. You’re very interactive with the public.”

He had been talking about the possibility with Chief Lee Lieber — also a motorcycle enthusiast — for a while, and it all finally came together. The motorcycle gives Huber an advantage over patrol cars.

“When the streets get congested, the motorcycle is more nimble, it’s able to move around better,” Lieber said.

Hubel will be able to reach accident scenes and other incidents quicker when he is on the motorcycle. He won’t be riding the bike 100 percent of the time, though.

For the advantages the bike has, there are still things officers can do using patrol cars that one on a motorcycle can’t do, namely make arrests. It’s also much cooler riding a motorcycle, meaning the weather and not just how much more awesome it might look. It’s getting to the point in the year where the temperature drops, as it was 28 degrees the other day. Hubel said he doesn’t mind riding in 40 degree weather, though.

The bike will get much more use when the warm weather returns. In the spring, the Moorestown Police Department might send someone else to get trained riding the motorcycle. There may not be a full unit, but Lieber and Hubel both said it’s likely at least one more officer will be trained.

“We have to see how this goes,” said Hubel, who has already lead the annual Lions Club Parade on the bike. He also participated in the Fallen Heroes Wreath Program, a Philadelphia-based group that places wreaths at the graves of fallen police officers.

And any time there’s full coverage for the department, Hubel will be able to hop on the motorcycle, and Lieber knows he won’t have to tell him twice. It’s not clear why the Moorestown Police Department ended the motorcycle program 80 years ago, but Hubel said he would like to see more police on motorcycles locally.

The attached images were posted on the Moorestown Police Department’s Facebook page.