SIMSBURY, Ct. – The Connecticut State Police Motor Unit has been around for 120 years but they’ve never had a female member until now.
Trooper First Class Jillian Leca is the first woman to pass the rigorous training course and join the State Police Motor Unit. The motorcycle training instructs troopers in all manner of operations in a demanding three-week course, WFSB reported.
“I thought I knew how to ride, until I went through this course,” said Leca, who took multiple attempts to complete the training. “I was just going to keep trying until I got it.”
The training prepares motor officers for various situations on multiple terrains.
“It’s not just for roads. You can go on grass, trails, get there if you need to,” said Leca.
The newly minted motor officer hopes more female troopers pursuit riding in the specialized unit.
“I hope another female rider out there sees this and goes ‘hey I’ll give it a shot,’” said Leca. “Even going out and riding with my husband, the amount of female riders is definitely smaller but it’s definitely growing. In the past few years I’ve seen more female riders.”
Leca put in a lot of practice on a personally owned Harley Davidson Electra Glide, her husband Anthony Leca said on Faceook.
“On her days off, she was out practicing. Rain, heat , cold, none of that mattered. And all that work paid off. She made it. To say I’m proud? I’m not proficient enough with the English language to adequately put into words how I feel,” Anthony Leca wrote.
“I’ve truly never been more impressed by anyone, or anything,” her husband noted. “Brought me to tears to see (her) achieve (the) goal.”
