Motorcycle Drill Team : History | Motorcycle Drill Team FAQs

Motorcycle Drill Team

The Motorcycle Drill Team is the Departments' premiere Escort Unit and provides VIP motorcade escorts in the lower mainland, working in conjunction with the RCMP Protective Services Section. The VPD Motorcycle Drill Team has been rated as Canada's Foremost Escort Unit, safely and efficienty escorting many dignitaries from around the world and earning praise from security services worldwide.

Established in 1954 by Sgt. "Cookie" Ryan and the members of the traffic section, the Motorcycle Drill Team today is known widely across Canada. The team has entertained and thrilled thousands of people throughout B.C. and as far away as Calgary, Vancouver Island, and Palm Springs, performing a series of maneuvers that demonstrate riding skills and machine capabilities. Collision avoidance, tight radius turns, hard acceleration, and braking are all included in the set of seventeen maneuvers.

Employing Harley Davidson Road King motorcycles exclusively, the team is comprised of active members of the Vancouver Police Department and consists of 15 inspector / sergeant / constables from the Traffic Enforcement Unit, as well as a Liason NCO.

Vancouver motorcycle officers ride twelve months of the year in their regular enforcement duties. Drill Team activities are separate from their regular duties and members join the Drill Team on a voluntary basis.

The team practices weekly throughout the drill season which begins in March and ends on September. Each year, the team participates in approximately 12 parades in the Vancouver area and other venues in the Pacific Rim. Recent performances include the Calgary Stampede Parade, the West Seattle Seafair Parade, the Victoria May Day Parade, and numerous parades located in Greater Vancouver and Vancouver Island communities.

The team also involves itself in community service and charity fundraising events whenever possible, paritipating in events such as the Children's Hospital Fun Run, the Sunshine Foundation events and the Children's Wish Foundations. Kops for Kids night in December is a popular well-attended event sponsored by the Drill Team. Monetary donations and toys are collected and distributed through the VPD's School Liaison Unit to inner city schools.

2009 Schedule

The Motorcycle Drill Team's 2010 schedule will be posted in March. Please check back then for dates and events

2009 Team

• Inspector Schinbein
• Sergeant Grant Meeres
• Corporal Cory Porret
• Constable Lee Buckingham
• Constable Steve Burridge
• Constable Carlo Cividino
• Constable Chris Egge
• Constable Gregory Fodor
• Constable Darren Foster
• Constable Derek Lemcke
• Constable Michael Littlefield
• Constable Mike Lynch
• Constable Jeff Peterson
• Constable Steve Shaw
• Constable Adrian Thomson
• Constable Melissa Yamamoto

In the Community

Since 1954, the Vancouver Police Motorcycle Drill Team has reached out to people in communities and has entertained children and adults with exciting displays of riding precision.

As goodwill ambassadors of the City of Vancouver, the Drill Team has strived to show the personal side of policing and has involved itself in a number of fundraising and charity events including KOPS for Kids.

KOPS for Kids

KOPS for Kids is a fundraising event that raises money for inner city children.  The funds are distributed by school liaison officers to needy kids and all proceeds go directly to the schools. Tax receipts are available. For further information about KOPS for Kids or other fundraising events, please send an email to steve.shaw@vpd.ca or call (604) 717-3535.

Motorcade Escorts

The team also provides VIP motorcycle escorts while working closely with the RCMP Protective Services Section. The Drill Team is the official motorcycle escort unit of The Vancouver Police Department.

The VPD Motorcycle Drill Team has been rated as Canada's Foremost Escort Team and has escorted numerous Heads of State, dignitaries, and members of royalty from around the world.