Jerauld newest member of Carson City Sheriff’s Office Motor Unit

Just two and a half years ago, Deputy Michael Jerauld was working as the front desk support specialist with the Carson City Sheriff’s Office. Today, he’s worked his way to being the newest member of the department’s Motor Unit.

Jerauld has been on the bike for nearly two months now, after passing one of the most rigorous training schools law enforcement is offered.

“It is an honor to be a part of the team, not a lot of other deputies have the opportunity to be selected so it means the world to me to be a part of this team,” Jerauld said. “It has been super satisfying to be a part of a team that is so distinguished and recognized.

“There is a lot of hard work that comes with it and it is an opportunity I am thankful for.”

The Motor Unit is used as the traffic management team with the Sheriff’s Office, using the bikes to enforce and educate the public on traffic laws and investigate crashes. They’re also used as escorts for parades and processions.

“I really like the traffic side because ever since I started on patrol it is something I really excelled at and I fell in love,” Jerauld said. “With investigations I love to recreate accident scenes, and while tickets are an aspect of it, doing traffic gives me the ability to educate a lot of people.”

The Sparks native grew up with aspirations to be a police officer. He started out as an Explorer with Sparks Police Department as a teenager before getting his bachelor’s in criminal justice at the University of Nevada, Reno. He then came to Carson working at the front desk before getting hired as a deputy.

Jerauld has been riding for about nine years and took advantage of the opportunity when a spot became available.

“I definitely kept my eye on it when I became a deputy and I jumped on the opportunity to be on the motorcycle and since then I never looked back,” Jerauld said.

Becoming a motor officer is no easy task. Each potential motor deputy must pass a two-week school that trains and tests their abilities on the motorcycle. Even though Jerauld and many of the officers know how to ride for personal enjoyment, they have to completely change their thinking and tactics to be able to ride for police purposes.

“It was really tough, it was hot, long hours,” Jerauld said. “What I thought I knew, I didn’t until I went through the training, but that training has improved my riding skills 10-fold.”

These deputies need that added police training for a motorcycle because the bike creates an added danger.

“On a bike you don’t have a fender bender, you have a crash you are going to total your bike and you are going to fall hard and it’s going to hurt,” Jerauld said. “You’re exposed to the elements, you don’t get the protection from being surrounded by a steel machine.”

“Especially riding at night people don’t see you and you have to enhance your senses a lot more and have to change your technique to drive around other motorists.”

But, to Jerauld, the positives outweigh the negatives.

“It gets cold in the winter and hot in the summer, but we all love to ride and being on a motorcycle is relieving to me,” Jerauld said. “It’s like a harmony when riding, I relax more when I am on the bike. It is thrilling but relaxing — it’s like feng shui.”