TheSheriff's Departmenthas seven brand new 1999 Harley Davidsons. The bikes cost taxpayers $196,000 and were purchased with a federal law enforcement block grant.
Officials say the payoff will be bring the Sheriff's Department closer to the community.
"Everybody loves a bike," says Sgt. R.E. Hawley. "I don't know of a man, woman or child that won't come up and look at it."
The seven deputies underwent a month of training at schools with failure rates as high as 70 percent. "All the guys here would actually tell you it's one of the toughest classes we've ever been through," says Dep. Alfred Drayton.
Although each is an experienced rider, they learned to do things the average rider cannot. Drayton says the deputies will be able to maneuver small areas without falling, unlike many bikers.
The unit will be primarily stationed in unincorporated areas of Wake County to help control traffic.
If the unit goes over well with citizens, the department plans to get more motorcycles next year.
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