Residential streets

• You shall always make vehicle traffic stops in a safe manner for you and the suspect vehicle.
• All traffic stops will include emergency lights and sirens.
• When making traffic stops on residential streets, look for side streets or parking lots when choosing where to stop the suspect vehicle. If the suspect vehicle stops in an area that you feel is not safe, initiate the stop and inform the driver of the suspect vehicle to proceed to a side street, parking lot or other area you deem appropriate. You can also ride up to suspect vehicle and inform them where you want them to stop.
• You shall be at least two car lengths distance from the suspect vehicle. Your police motorcycle should be at approximately the one o’clock position to the vehicle being stopped. The one o’clock position will offer you the best cover or protection if a tactical response arises.
• You shall dismount the high side of the motorcycle as this will keep you away from the flowing traffic in the roadway. Approach from the passenger side of the suspect vehicle unless conditions call for driver side approaches.
• Tickets shall be written toward the rear, on the high side, and a couple feet away from the motorcycle. This will give you the optimal position if you need to take emergency action.
• After the traffic stop is complete you shall remount from the high side and wait for the suspect vehicle to re-enter the traffic lane safely and you then may resume regular patrol duties.

Interstate or highway

• You shall always make vehicle traffic stops in a safe manner for you and the suspect vehicle.
• All traffic stops will include emergency lights and sirens.
• Whenever possible try to avoid making the traffic stops by curves, by on ramps, or by exit ramps. If the suspect vehicle starts making movements or acting as if his/her intentions are to stop in the median of the fast lane of traffic, immediately get the drivers attention with bursts from your siren and motion him/her with hand signals on where you want them to go. If suspect vehicle does stop in the median of the fast lane of traffic, stop your police motorcycle well short of the vehicle and dismount from the low side, and approach the vehicle and immediately tell them where you want them to go.
• You shall be at least two car lengths distance from the suspect vehicle and your police motorcycle should be at approximately the one o’clock position to the vehicle being stopped. The one o’clock position will offer you the best cover or protection if a tactical response arises.
• You shall dismount the high side of the motorcycle as this will keep you away from the flowing traffic in the roadway. You shall approach the passenger side of the suspect vehicle as this is the preferred stopping method employed by the Toledo Police Motorcycle Unit when stopping vehicles on interstates, highways and expressways that offers the greatest protection to our motor officers.
• Tickets shall be written toward the rear, on the high side, and a couple feet away from the motorcycle. This will give you the optimal position if you need to take emergency action and give you optimum protection from passing motorists.
• After the traffic stop is complete you shall remount from the high side and wait for the suspect vehicle to re-enter the traffic lane safely, and you then may resume regular patrol duties.
• The preferred method for traffic stops is to remove holster side glove before contacting driver.