Port Isabel Police Department police chief Robert Lopez says his department will now be able to maneuver through heavy traffic near the Queen Isabella Memorial Causeway after the purchase of two motorcycles.
Lopez says the bumper-to-bumper traffic every weekend near the Queen Isabella Memorial Causeway has made it difficult for his department to respond to emergencies in a timely manner.
“The causeway, every weekend we have a traffic accident which blocks the whole traffic and we’ve learned trying to get a unit through the traffic to assist the accident– it’s been very difficult,” Lopez said. “With a motorcycle, he’ll be able to zoom right through the middle lane and get to the accident and assist it in a quicker time.”
The Port Isabel Police Department purchased the two motorcycles from the Brownsville Police Department for $4,000 each with asset forfeiture funds, which is money awarded to the department for the seizure of items used in criminal activity.
“They come with lights, they come with a radar–they are ready to go,” said Lopez. “We just had to do some minor changes to them. We are really appreciative of the city of Brownsville, we really are.”
Port Isabel police will begin patrolling with their new motorcycles this weekend.