They don't call him "Wheels" without a reason. And Friday was Deputy Wayne Wheeler's day in ceremony, getting pinned with a Winged Wheel that now makes him an official member of the Carson City Sheriff's Office motorcycle patrol team. He received his motor wings in a brief ceremony at the sheriff's administrative office.
The Winged Wheel pin, given to trained motor patrol officers, represents motion, swiftness and accuracy while being a public safety officer riding a motorcycle. Wheeler, also known as "Wheels" among fellow deputies, rejoined the 5-member Carson City Sheriff's Office Motor Unit team this fall. Attending the special pinning ceremony were members of the motor unit, fellow deputies, administration, Wheeler's wife Sabrina and daughter Sierra.
Wheeler had previously been a motor patrol deputy nearly four years ago but switched duty priorities to work as a patrol deputy with a focus on schools. Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong said Wheeler was needed at the time to do "patch work" with school patrolling where his assistance was most needed.
Furlong noted Wheeler has done an outstanding job in both capacities, doing double duty with schools and as a patrol deputy and said that the five-member motorcycle patrol unit will greatly benefit with him aboard.
The sheriff also briefed members of the team on the agency's plans to create a School Resource Officers program after successfully getting a federal government grant in October to create a "triad" operation that gives all schools within the Carson City School District access to the sheriff's office, with the placement of deputies in the schools.
“We have turned a corner in how we view school safety in the community. We have a new program that will have far reaching, long-term benefits," said Furlong.
As for the Motor Unit itself, Furlong said it has become the highest priority within the sheriff's office administration to make it a standalone traffic unit, much like what the Special Enforcement Team is to the department.
The four other officers assigned to the Motor Patrol Unit are Deputies Joey Trotter, Matt Smith, Derrick Kepler and Gary Denham. Their supervisor is Sgt. Scott McDaniel.
The unit is comprised of five Harley Davidson motorcycles and off-road motorcycles. It is tasked with the enforcement of traffic related issues, encompassing everything from parking violations and abandoned vehicles to speed enforcement and accident investigation.
All deputies assigned to the unit undergo hundreds of hours of traffic enforcement and accident investigation training above and beyond the normal, basic traffic related training supplied to patrol officers.
In the first photo from left to right, Deputy Wheeler is joined by Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong, Wheeler's wife, Sabrina, and daughter Sierra. In the second photo, Wheeler practices for re-certification to ride full time with the Motor Unit.