Motorcycle deputies from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station are the best of the best in skills competition, winning top honors in the Pattern Timed Team Obstacle Course during the Pasadena Police Training and Skills Competition April 14.

The event was attended by more than 150 deputies and officers from 25 different police agencies and was held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The 2010 training competition consisted of a number of technical motorcycle skills events including the Pattern Timed Team Obstacle Course, the Partnered Riding Course, the Slowest Rider Course, and the Top Gun – One on One Challenge.

This year, more than 150 motorcycle officers and deputies from 25 policing agencies participated in the event. Three motorcycle deputies from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station joined forces with a motorcycle deputy from the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station to compete in the Pattern Timed Team Obstacle Course event.

The timed course consists of eight unique cone patterns requiring impeccable timing and teamwork, and highly skilled control and manipulation of a police motorcycle. Some of the patterns included three consecutive circles that are only 18 feet in diameter, the keyhole pattern, and the challenging “eliminator” pattern.

Many of the patterns are performed with the motorcycles in extremely close proximity to one another to truly test the riders technical skills, maneuverability, control, and handling. There are times when the motorcycles are just inches apart.

These training events and skills competitions help ensure deputies patrolling our community on motorcycles are some of the best trained in the nation. They help the deputies hone and maintain technical riding skills that are critical to the safety and protection of our community and roadways.

Santa Clarita motorcycle deputies competed against some of the most talented motorcycle officers in Southern California. When the clock stopped and the engines were turned off, the Santa Clarita team received top honors, finishing 1st place in the Pattern Timed Team Obstacle Course with a nearly error free performance and a time of just over one minute (1:13.25), narrowly edging out Pasadena Police Department who had a time of 1:13.85.

“I am very proud of our deputies,” said Captain Paul Becker. “This training competition is a true testament to the skilled deputies we have patrolling our neighborhoods everyday. It is critical that they attend the most advanced training in order to maintain the skills needed to keep our roadways safe.”