Throughout the year, the Ripon Police Department has made use of its motorcycle units, from training to funeral escorts, parades and other civic events.
Add two 2014 Harley Davidson Electra Glides to the mix.
Police recently obtained the two electric vehicles from the Tracy Police Department in exchange for two surplus 2013 Zero DS motorcycles at no cost to either department.
The swap for this electric motorcycles surplus got the OK from the Ripon City Council last week.
“The department has utilized all units successfully but has realized the limits of the electric units,” said Police Chief Ed Ormonde in his Dec. 13 staff report to the council. “The electric motorcycle has a very limited range and an extended charge time, thus, limiting the enforcement ability.
“Our intention is to complement our existing Zero S units with the Harley Davidson gas motorcycles in order to better meet the needs of our department’s mission.”
Earlier this year, Ripon police purchased two new 2016 Zero S electric motorcycles under a grant from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. That’s the same agency that made possible the aforementioned two 2013 Zero DS motorcycles.
Ormonde noted a cost analysis on gas and electric units were conducted by his department. In it, the gas motorcycles’ maintenance was about $200 more a year than that of the electric units.
“This increase in annual cost is negated by the life span of the electric motorcycle’s battery life,” he said, pointing out the battery on each of the recently acquired units is that of a five-year warranty – four of those years will have passed as of 2017 – leaving just a year remaining.
Cost for a replacement battery, should an issue arise, is $3,000, according to Ormonde.
He credited Tracy police for properly taking care of all of the Harley Davidson fleet, using Mitchell’s Harley Davidson in Modesto for annual maintenance.
“This is also where the units were purchased – this is also where the units were purchased,” said Ormonde, who added that Harley equipped the units with the required police lights (police only had to install the radio for deployment).
To contact reporter Vince Rembulat, e-mail vrembulat@mantecabulletin.com
Ripon Police acquire electric motorcycles from Tracy Police