Martinsville Sheriff and Virginia Sheriff’s Association President Steve M. Draper recently graduated from the Virginia State Police Motor Officer School in Richmond. The Motor Officer School is the class taught to all State Police Officers that ride police motorcycles. The class is two weeks long and was held at the Richmond International Raceway in Richmond. Four Virginia State Troopers and Sheriff Draper successfully completed the class.
The class taught skills such as low speed maneuvers, lane changing and riding in formation. Asked about his opinion of the class, Sheriff Draper says “This was an excellent class! I have been riding motorcycles since I was twelve years old and have been teaching basic motorcycle class for over three years. I thought I knew how to ride a motorcycle, but I found that I still had a lot to learn about maneuvering a motorcycle through traffic and on the interstate.”
The class was taught by Virginia State Troopers from across the state. “These instructors were very professional. They took plenty of time with us and they never asked us to do anything on the motorcycles that they wouldn’t do themselves,” Draper said. “It was a grueling two weeks that included a lot of stress and hot temperatures on black asphalt, but it was worth every minute of it. I am very appreciative to have been included in this training and to the Virginia State Police for allowing me to participate.”
By: Krystal H. Davis, Office Associate
