DEFENSIVE TWO-WHEELING

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A car may stop short in front of them, someone may throw things into the street at them. They could take a turn or hit a pothole too fast or lose control at a rough spot in the road.
That's why the police officers on the Newark motorcycle squad spend one day every six months learning how to react in all circumstances. When to swerve, how to stop short, even how to pick themselves and their 1,000 pound motorcycles up if they take a spill.
"Ninety percent of riding a motorcycle is mental," said Police Officer Joe Forlenza, one of the two department instructors certified by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, a national organization, and New Jersey ABATE, a group that teaches motorcycle riding classes.
'You can only instruct so much; the rest is learned by constantly doing," Forlenza said. The 18 officers assigned to the motorcycle squad spend at least one day every six months "doing" under the demanding and watchful eyes of Forlenza and Lt. Daniel DeLorenzi.
Both spent 80 hours training with the national organization in April learning how to teach officers the art of riding a motorcycle. They offer two classes, one for beginning riders, the other for experienced riders.
Forlenza, who has 22 years of experience, likes sharing his expertise with the younger generation of officers.
"I like to see them get something from the training," Forlenza said.
All officers assigned to the motorcycle squad are required to take the experienced rider refresher course twice a year.
"It gives them a greater sense of security," said Capt. John Kossup, head of the emergency bureau which incorporates the motorcycle squad. This way, they are trained in all aspects of what could happen if they come across situations in the street.
"Motorcycle patrol is a tough job. Not only are officers patrolling, looking for unusual situations and preventing crime, but they have traffic enforcement duties, have to listen to the radio, keep an eye on the weather and make evaluations and decisions constantly," Kossup said. "And, they also have to be defensive drivers."
The program, implemented during the summer, has cut accident and injury time by 100 percent, Kossup said.
"We usually get about two accidents a year. This year, we haven't had any," he said. "The training keeps the officers, and the public, from getting hurt."
Officers Derek Lawz, Devin Zamora, Michael Goitiandia and Hector Corchado spent several hours on their Harley Davidson motorcycles Thursday in the parking lot of the Schiffenhaus Packaging Co. on Verona Avenue, practicing swerving techniques, stopping maneuvers and learning how to climb curbs on their bikes.
"You have to learn how to swerve properly; if you touch the brake, you're dead," DeLorenzi said. "Remember, if you brake when you swerve, you 11 go down," he said.
At the end of each run, DeLorenzi critiqued each rider, pointing out mistakes in their riding techniques. "Keep you head up; don't look at the cones," he told the four. "Motorcycles are funny things; they go where you look."
Kossup said the lieutenant advised him of the need for the course and then searched for a place to teach it. DeLorenzi found the Schiffenhaus parking lot as he toured the city and approached company officials to ask for permission to use the area and to paint lines on it.
"When the lieutenant asked if he could use part of the parking lot for training, the owners agreed because we wanted to cooperate with the city police," said Robert Hagan, vice president of production at the company.
The owners, Laurence Schiffenhaus and his son, Chip, like having police on the property. It's beneficial to both sides," the elder Schiffenhaus said, adding that since the officers have been practicing in the lot, car thefts from the company have declined.

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