By vincent todaro
Staff Writer
Move over Tom Cruise, East Brunswick has a Top Gun of its own.
That’s the title given to Police Sgt. Tracie Steckel, who recently graduated from the Maryland State Police Motorcycle Operations School, and finished No. 1 in her class. Steckel is the only woman to graduate at the top of the class in the history of the school, and is the fourth woman to successfully complete the course.
Held at the Bergen County Police Academy from Aug. 19-30, the class started out with 20 students, but was whittled down to only 11 by the time of graduation, according to information provided by the East Brunswick Police Department.
"I took it as a personal challenge to get through it," Steckel said. "There’s a reason that you have to go through a course to operate a motorcycle, and this was, as I hear, the toughest in the country."
FARRAH MAFFAI East Brunswick Police Sgt. Tracie Steckel is the first woman to graduate No. 1 from the Maryland State Police Motorcycle Operations School.
The rigorous 80-hour course of instruction enables Steckel to become a member of her department’s Motorcycle Unit, which also includes patrolmen Richard Branche, a master instructor in the school, and Peter Kozlowski.
Both are with the squad’s traffic and safety division.
Steckel recalled that a couple of the officers enrolled in the course injured themselves during the training.
"There were certain portions that other individuals weren’t able to pass, and therefore they have to come back [to the course]," she said. "Some have to take the whole class over; some just portions.
"It’s a very extensive and intensive course," she added. "It’s very physically demanding. You have to be able to lift the motorcycle [from the ground]."
East Brunswick Police Chief Thomas W. Finn noted that the motorcycles have to be lifted several times during the course, and that it requires a tremendous amount of upper-body strength. He called Steckel’s No. 1 finish "a phenomenal accomplishment."
"She was an excellent rider to begin with, but to go up against 20 officers and to be No. 1 — I’m incredibly proud of her," Finn said.
At Monday night’s Township Council meeting, Mayor William Neary commended Steckel on her achievement and especially for having the technique and wherewithal to lift the motorcycle.
"It’s a combination of technique and just brute force," Steckel said. "It took every ounce of my strength to do that."
Steckel, who has been with the department for 18 years and serves as an assistant division commander in traffic and safety, said motorcycle patrols are a great way to improve law enforcement.
"Completing this course gives you the training to operate it [the motorcycle] proficiently and safely," she said.
The patrols are particularly useful in East Brunswick because they allow officers easier navigation through crowds and traffic, she said.
"It’s also used for special functions like parades, funerals — things like that," she said.
Finn said the motorcycles are used every day by the department, unless the weather is excessively hot or if temperatures are well below freezing.

