Villadom Times Weekly Newpaper Online-February 25, 2009 Issue

Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • February 25, 2009 Franklin Lakes Police department receives donated motorcycle by Frank J. McMahon The Franklin Lakes Police Department has received a donation of a new $18,000 Harley Davidson Police Motorcycle from an area oil delivery company. The motorcycle was donated to the police department by the Bolkema Fuel Company, which is located in Mahwah. The company’s owner, John Bolkema, is a biking enthusiast as is Sergeant William Colligan, one of two traffic officers in the borough’s police department. Colligan and Bolkema are friends and often ride their own motorcycles together in their leisure time, but Colligan said he was surprised when Bolkema called him and said he wanted to donate a police motorcycle to the borough’s police department. “I thought it was awesome for him to do that,” Colligan said. Colligan brought the idea to Police Chief Irving Conklin and the council members, who supported the idea of the department having a motorcycle unit. According to Colligan, the cost to the borough to start a motorcycle unit in the department will be about $1,000 for a helmet and gloves, emergency lights, a siren, and the lettering of the unit, which he hopes to obtain as a donation from the private sector. He advised that there are also several courses that offer free training to teach police officers how to safely operate the motorcycle unit and he and Patrolman Robert Lyon, the borough’s two traffic safety officers, intend to pursue formal training in the proper use of the motorcycle. Colligan estimated that the use of the motorcycle on an eight hour shift would save the department $30 in fuel costs compared to a patrol car which could result, if the cycle is used for five shifts a week for seven months a year, in a potential annual savings of $4,200. “A motor unit will be a positive asset to the borough,” Colligan told Chief Conklin. “Departments which have employed them have found them to be an outstanding public relations tool. These vehicles excel in maneuverability and are therefore well suited for patrolling the parks, fields, and walking trails of the borough. Because of their size and maneuverability they can access locations which cannot be accessed by a patrol car such as behind and around our schools and along railroad tracks. These vehicles also excel for the purposes of traffic control during parades, triathlons, and bicycle runs.” The model chosen for the donation is the Harley Davidson Electra Glide Standard Police Edition model which has a protec- Traffic Officer Robert Lyon, John Bolkema, Mayor Maura DeNicola, and Traffic Officer William Colligan with the new motorcycle. tive plastic cover over the front handlebars along with a windshield. Colligan said he chose that model because it would provide better wind protection. The Electra Glide model is white, 95 inches in length, and has a seat height of 30.7 inches when unoccupied. It has a six gallon fuel capacity and gets 35 miles to the gallon in city driving and 54 mph on the highway. It weighs 794 pounds when dry, and has an air-cooled Twin Cam 103 cubic inch engine and tank mounted electronic speedometer with odometer and tachom- eter and disc brakes on the front and rear wheels. The motorcycle has been painted to identify it as a Franklin Lakes Traffic motorcycle. Colligan emphasized that the donation of the motorcycle has an added benefit because Harley Davidson has a policy that if their motorcycle is purchased outright, a new model can be purchased to replace it after five years for $500. “So you pretty much just buy the bike just once,” he said. “It’s a win-win situation for our agency.” �� All sponsorship is 100% tax deductible. Every participant will receive an AD Book. Thank you in advance for your support and participation. Midland Park Fire Department 100 Anniversary Book th The Wyckoff Chamber of Commerce Business Name: ______________________________________________________ Contact: ____________________________________________________________ Phone: Address: ___________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip: ________________________________________________________ Full Page - $500.00 Half Page - $250.00 Quarter Page - $125.00 Business Cards - $50.00 ATTACH GRAPHIC PRESENTATION Personal Comments: __________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ �� Please make Check out to: MPFD Midland Park Fire Department • P Box 51 • Midland Park, NJ 07432 .O. ��