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An accident involving a Maricopa Police motorcycle officer tied up traffic this morning on State Route 347 at the entrance to Rancho El Dorado. The accident occurred about 8:40 a.m.

Maricopa Fire Department spokesman Brad Pitassi said paramedics treated the officer on the scene for multi-system trauma. The officer was transferred by ambulance to Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix. The officer’s name is not yet being released.

Maricopa Police Chief Kirk Fitch said the incident occurred when the officer was doing traffic enforcement on State Route 347, and apparently lost control of the motorcycle.

"We don't know if there was another vehicle involved yet, but the bike can develop speed very fast and can be difficult to control," Fitch said. "DPS will be investigating the accident."

Fitch said the officer's injuries were not life-threatening. More details will be released as they become available.

Photo by Michael K. Rich

• Prayers to the officer. Their job is so much more dangerous than I often give them credit. Thank goodness we have people like that who are willing to put themselves in danger for our sake! (luv the copa)
• I've seen the way some of those bike cops drive. It surprises me they have any motorcycles left. (geewiz)
• This may be the "blow" that Melvin needs to finally get his wish to eliminate the police motorcycles. Thankfully the officer was not hurt that bad. (corman)
• I'm very thankful that the Officer is as okay as can be expected after this accident. I do however feel the need to ask why did it seem like every MPD officer and then some were there? I counted over 15 officers at one time! I realize the need for traffic control and investigating needs, I even realize that an "officer down" is something that calls for support. Just curious. (anderscd)
• I understand the need to respond to an accident involving one of our finest. I thank God the officer is OK, but the response was completely disproportionate. I saw non-officer, police department employees wearing police vests, driving department cars and directing traffic. If the same occurs to a civilian the whole thing would be over in 20 min and not 1.5 hrs and with 1/5 of the resources used (Bachue)
• Without having the details of the accident these "geniuses" know what the appropriate response is. You are truly visionaries. (MaytagMan)
• Get rid of the motorcycle and get them horses. How many of these scooters have they wrecked? What ever happened to the 2 scooter cops that crashed during that charity run a couple christmas's ago. You will find the details of that some where under the rug like the other accidents that have occured. I say get rid of them. (bendover)
• If they were driving bicycles this would not of happened. (Robert B)
• Can I get my floor jack and tarp back now please? (JasonY)
• Thanks God he is not badly hurt but they do need to learn how to ride those scooters , one tall officer need some lesson real bad I hope was not him that got hurt. (zagloba)
• The Forum says the officer was killed. What NEWS is not catching up with the news? (Bob J)
• Great response "maytagman"! Who pee'd in your cheerios this morning? I was only asking, and I do not pretend to understand what happened! Please divert your hostility in another direction. BTW, as a witness to another even more serious accident in the Copa, there were less officers (much less)and it was cleared up in less time, I'm just saying... (anderscd)
• "Can I get my floor jack and tarp back now please? (JasonY)" Dude, your 5 minutes of fame are long over, let it go..... (Batman)
• As a community everyone cried for speed enforcement and that is what this officer was doing. Enforcing the law when this tragic event occurred. Maybe people need to obey the speed limit signs and slow the heck down. (ana r)
• Were the "15" officers all MPD highly doubtful considering there are rarely that many on duty at any one time. You also have other agencies like DPS that were at the scene. Bachue how do you know they were "non-officers" wearing vest directing traffic? Do you know every person that works for MPD? (ana r)
• It's very sad that he was injured and I truly hope he recovers completely. That said, there is no need for an office to monitor "speed" in the northbound lanes during morning rush hour. It sometimes takes 10 minutes to get from Smith-Enke to Rancho Eldorado. I think their time could be better served elsewhere at that hour. (janniecat)
• Bendover- your name fits you! Do you realize those 2 officers nearly lost their lives that day? Don't be mad because they do a job you could never do, it takes a strong person with a passion for the job to be a great officer. (ana r)
• Does any one know what the cost to replace one of these motorcycles is? I see one just about every morning parked up on the sidewalk looking for those 16mph bandits in the school zones. Always wondered if a car pulled out or turned as they are driving off the sidewalk .... then whose fault? Bottom line these motorcycles should be limited to trafic duty not zipping on the 347 or 238 (tide28)
• Ana r - I know how many I counted and I do know the difference between MPD and PCSD, and DPS. I didn't bring it up to be judgmental or say they had no right or shouldn't have been there. So slow your roll... :) (anderscd)
• Put sidecars on the bikes and then they won't fall over as much........ (JasonY)
• It is always terrible to hear when ANYONE is hurt. It would not surprise me at all though if this was the tall, slender, african american officer who rides wrecklessly around town. I know I have personally reported his riding habits and blatent ignorance of traffic laws when he is patrolling. (rrbradley)
• I understand responding to an emergency has to be quick but when there is no emergency I don't feel that turning on the lights to go through an intersection to go through the red light, riding on sidewalks, passing cars on the right, swerving bike back and forth (just about crashing), and many other observations is a responsible way to ride a motorcycle. (rrbradley)
• Especially one that is paid for by the citizens and his riding habits puts our safety at risk. (rrbradley)
• PEOPLE an officer went down and injured him self. Accidents do happen!!! This is not the article to be critical of the PD on. Hope the officer is doing well and will recover soon. There will be plenty of other articles to criticize MPD on in the future. (mpd85139accountable)