Motorcycle comes home to dept.

PERKINS TWP. — Perkins Township officials recently informed the public how they reacquired a meaningful motorcycle deeply entrenched in the police department's history. "We're proud to share that a piece of our department's history has returned home," according to a department statement. "A Harley-Davidson motorcycle that was once part of our fleet back in 2004 is officially back where it belongs." Officers thanked those at the Sandusky-area VFW Post 2529. Its members provided a $10,000 donation to make this possible. No taxpayer funds went toward buying the motorcycle. "Your donation and continued commitment to our department made this homecoming possible," the post read, specifically extending appreciation to the VFW. "Thank you." The department also thanked "Lee Hale of Hale's Harley-Davidson in Mansfield, Ohio. Lee played a key role in helping us bring this motorcycle back to Perkins Township." After coming home to Perkins Township in late July, the motorcycle will make several public appearances, including at Sandusky's Touch-a-Truck event, scheduled for tonight at the Paper District Marina. "Come out, take a closer look and help us celebrate this meaningful addition to our department," the post read. More on the motorcycle Perkins police Capt. Martin Curran provided some context on the planned motorcycle purchase: In the early 2000s, our police department operated a motorcycle unit using motorcycles leased from Harley-Davidson for a nominal fee. The leasing program for Perkins Township concluded in 2004. And since then, the department has not maintained a motorcycle as part of its active fleet. Earlier this year, we discovered that a privately owned Harley-Davidson motorcycle — originally leased to the department in 2004 — remains in its original condition and has been preserved since its service years. We worked with the owner to acquire the motorcycle and reintroduce it into our fleet. This exciting endeavor has been made possible through the generosity of VFW Post 2529, which has graciously offered to cover the cost of the motorcycle. We plan to have the motorcycle operational by 2026 where it will serve not only as part of our fleet but also play a prominent role in community outreach events and ceremonies. In addition to funding the motorcycle purchase, VFW Post 2529 has made a second generous donation to the department for the purchase of essential equipment and training. We are incredibly grateful for their continued support of our officers and our mission.