Climbing Back on the Horse
Recovering from a Spill

By Lt. L.P. Walker, Jr.

Any officer who spends a considerable amount of time on a police motorcycle will eventually take a spill or two. Most often, thankfully, these accidents are minor and cause more damage to pride rather than flesh and bone. More intensive training and safer motorcycles have dramatically reduced the number of serious injuries to motor officers over the past few years.

In spite of this a motor officer will occasionally suffer a serious or even a life-threatening injury and face a long recovery period. After the bones have healed and the scars fade, however, the motor officer who chooses to return to regular duty faces the daunting task of climbing aboard his motor and coming face to face with fear.

It happens to every motor officer who returns to the road after a traumatic accident. I’ve seen it dozens of times, and I’ve been there myself. The first day back on the bike will make any officer a little gun-shy, even to the point where the officer will attempt to prolong desk duty or alternate duty in a car. Some choose to give up the bike altogether and finish out a career on four wheels.

It is important that the officer who wishes to return to the motorcycle work through the transition back onto two wheels smoothly and with as little distress as possible. A lingering trepidation about another accident could be a barrier to his defense against the myriad of other hazards faced by the motor officer in his daily duties.

Listed below are a few suggestions for the motor officer returning to regular duty after a traumatic accident:

1. Talk to someone about your concerns. If your department provides confidential counseling, take advantage of a professional who can help to assuage any apprehension you may have about returning to duty. You may feel more comfortable speaking with a clergyman or even a trusted friend or family member outside the department who can provide a sympathetic ear.

It would be wise to avoid confiding in a fellow officer right away simply because the other officer’s professional pride and “machismo” may interfere with his ability to objectively reflect your anxiety.

Regardless of the person to whom you confide, the simple act of speaking with someone else and admitting that you have reservations will go a long way toward releasing that fear and helping you cope with it.

2. Take it slow and build your confidence. No one expects you to hit the road at full speed your first day back. To do so would indicate recklessness on your part and put you at unnecessary risk. Your fellow officers understand that you may be a bit gun-shy at first. Take the first day or two to build your confidence. Many departments require motor officers to recertify on the motor qualification course following an accident. If not, take some time to reacquaint yourself with the basics of police motorcycle operation and reestablish your mastery of the craft. This will help build back any confidence you lost as a result of the accident.

Avoid the major highways at first when possible and ride in familiar areas where you are absolutely comfortable with the terrain and roadway. You may want to spend some time riding with a trusted partner or training officer who can reinforce your skills. Once your confidence begins to return, ease back into heavy traffic and get back into the flow of regular duty.

3. Return to the scene. At the earliest opportunity, return to the scene of your accident and replay it in your mind. Isolate any mistakes you may have made and admit them to yourself. Be prepared to discover that you are not infallible and that you are certainly not immortal. Critique your actions and reactions at the moment of impact to see what you could have done differently. Accept the fact that you responded as you were trained to do, and ask yourself if your accident might reflect some deficiency in your department’s training methods. If so, address this with your supervisor or your department’s motor instructor.

The important thing to remember is to learn from your experience and take from it the lesson it gives you.

In conclusion, some scars left from an accident can’t be seen. The mental and emotional trauma may take as much or more time to heal as the broken bones and road rash. Coping with this trauma will be easier for a motor officer who can talk it out with someone, rebuild his confidence, and face the accident itself as a learning experience.

The result of these steps will be to come to terms with any mistakes and put the accident where it belongs—in the past. Hopefully then, the motor officer will return to duty with a renewed sense of maturity bearing the scars of battle but wiser because of it.

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Lt. L.P. Walker, Jr. is a 24-year veteran with the Montgomery, Alabama, Police Department. He has spent a total of 18 years as a motor officer, motor supervisor, and motor shift commander.