{"id":2880,"date":"2012-09-24T15:10:17","date_gmt":"2012-09-24T19:10:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bootedmanblog.com\/?p=2880"},"modified":"2014-09-15T04:46:27","modified_gmt":"2014-09-15T08:46:27","slug":"cops-pull-their-boots-on-one-foot-at-a-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bootedmanblog.com\/?p=2880","title":{"rendered":"Cops Pull Their Boots On One Foot At A Time"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"I had an enjoyable time participating as a judge at a motorcycle police riding competition that was held recently in an exurb of Washington, DC. I got to spend two days interacting with about 100 motor officers from various jurisdictions from the states of Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, as well as the non-state District of Columbia. The officers represented U.S. Government agencies, as well as state, county, and city jurisdictions.<\/p>\n

So there I am… right there in the thick of the action, watching skilled riders go through courses during the competition, and also enjoying discussions during “down time”. <\/p>\n

I know some gay men who would be thrilled to have that opportunity. Me?
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\n\"\"Yes, I truly enjoyed it, but I can’t say that I had any fantasies or feelings other than amazement at great skills displayed, delight in having a role to contribute to the event’s success, and as the day wore on — tiredness from standing for hours in baking sunshine. But the weather was superb — not hot, not humid — so as long as I applied sunscreen regularly and kept drinking water, I was fine. (That, and an every-four-hour dose of Excedrin. LOL!)<\/p>\n

I don’t have fantasies about “playing cop.” Sure, I admire the uniform and boots. But what I admire more is their dedication and commitment to service. Motor officers have a doubly-difficult job. They have to go through all the training to learn to become a law enforcement officer, as well as significant and challenging training to learn how to operate a heavyweight motorcycle in tough situations and bad weather. And they have to recertify and go through more and more training each year. That’s a lot of work! So dash any fantasies about getting to wear a snazzy uniform and having someone else pay for a pair of Dehner patrol boots and get to ride a Harley — as a job. The job is hard. The officers work hard. I pay tribute to their service.<\/p>\n

\"\"Someone I know who shares my “gay Bootman” world asked me yesterday, “isn’t attending that event like patrol boot heaven?” Well, sure, there are a lot of patrol boots around. But to be honest — you’ve seen one pair, you’ve (almost) seen ’em all. You notice distinctions like the different manufacturers (Dehner, Chippewa, Wesco) and styles (bal-laced or dress instep, laced or buckle top), but after a while, you kinda don’t notice the boots any more. <\/p>\n

You also see the variances of uniforms between jurisdictions — color, style–short-sleeve or long-sleeve shirt, piping on pockets, width and color of leg stripes on breeches, style of belt (with or without a shoulder strap), and color markings and decals on helmets. But after a while, again, the uniforms all tend to blend together and look much the same.<\/p>\n

\"\"As a biker, I also noticed the different motorcycles being used — mostly Harley Road Kings (without fairing) or ElectraGlides (with fairing), and a couple Police BMWs. There are other makers of police bikes, too — Victory and Honda — but none of those types of bikes were at this event. Since I ride a Harley Road King, I am familiar with that type of bike, and the ElectraGlide is not that much different. The BMW is most different, and would take quite a bit of adjustment to get used to — but I’m not getting into that discussion here. (There are as ardent supporters of BMWs as there are for Harleys and the defense of each can be vigorous!)<\/p>\n

\"\"Anyway, what I have learned over the years during my interactions with motor officers at these events and back home during regular interactions, is that motor officers are:<\/p>\n