The Rocklin Police Department’s Motor unit was established in 2002 under the leadership of Chief Mark Siemens. The department did have an officer assigned to traffic on and off for several years prior to the motor unit. The officers who took the earlier assignments used a traffic car and regularly left traffic to fill for patrol shortages. This was found to be ineffective and the motor unit was developed.

The current unit consists of one riding Sergeant, three officers and one clerk. The BMW 1150RTP and 1200RTP are the motorcycles used by Rocklin P.D. They were selected for their performance and the advanced braking system. The schedule of the unit is fluid in relation to days and hours. Schedules change as needed to deploy for complaints. The unit is also used for other traffic events such as the city’s annual Jubilee, County traffic grants, traffic control for oversize transports and any other traffic events.

The Rocklin Motor Unit is complaint driven. The S.A.R.A model is currently used for deployment, (Scan, Analyze, Respond and Assess). Several of the departments’ volunteers and the city’s traffic engineers are used in this process as well as radar trailers and JAMAR boxes. Utilizing these resources it can be determined the extent or existence of a traffic problem. Times, numbers of violators and speeds can be captured to assist in the deployment of the motor unit.

When developing an action plan for confirmed complaints the motor unit often takes some “out of the box” actions. They have used officers holding signs notifying motorists of violation to avoid. Other motors were in the area for those motorists who ignored the warnings. Assisting the city’s Street Department during roadway construction the unit waits within the cone patters for motorists ignoring safe driving habits. Additionally with the Street Department officers have been seen utilizing on of the bucket trucks to work speed on streets. The “birds eye view” coupled with a Lidar unit and a radio is a successful combination for speed enforcement. Sometimes the Traffic Unit will just work a complaint with nothing more than the motorcycles as well.

The Rocklin Motor unit is one component of F.A.S.T. (freeway, arterial speed team). The team was put together by C.H.P. out of Newcastle. It consists of C.H.P., Rocklin, Roseville, Lincoln, Auburn and Placer County Sheriff’s office. The team is a reaction to speed related complaints within the participating agencies areas. An operation can result in about a four hour event and can include ten dedicated officers from any combination of the above agencies. This makes a very bold statement against speed in a specified area.

Rocklin utilizes several Automated Red Light Camera’s for enforcement. The Rocklin Police Department’s Traffic Clerk and Sergeant are responsible for the organization and review of the Red Light Camera program. The Traffic Clerk reviews violations and compiles the necessary documents for court.

Additionally the clerk collects all data required by the state, necessary for any traffic grants. Collision statistics and complaint statistics are collected and charted by the clerk for evaluation of operation by the unit. The citations, accident reports and traffic complaint entries are also done by the Traffic Clerk.