Education Motorcycle Escort students train for NATO Summit Written on Monday, May 19, 2025 The upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague requires a lot of preparation and massive police deployment. In late June, the Netherlands will be hosting about 8,500 guests. To be able to safely transfer all world leaders and delegation members to the conference venue, the Netherlands Police Academy is training more motorcyclists. They follow a specialist riding course to teach them to provide motorcycle escorts. Before students are allowed to start the Motorcycle Escort Course, they must take an intake test. This test is part of the Advanced Motorcycle Course they follow first. ‘Since last year, the two courses have been neatly scheduled in sequence. In this way, we can train as many students as possible before the NATO Summit. That is our priority. Normally, we have four Motorcycle Escort Courses a year. We completed three courses in the first three months of this year alone and there were also a number of courses at the end of last year’, says Paul. He is an instructor and the coordinator of the course. ‘A thousand persons are clapping in time, and one is not’ ‘We start the course with six students. Ultimately, we need five motorcyclists for a motorcycle escort. There are drop-outs in every course, because escorting takes a considerable degree of insight. We can teach a few tricks, but they will not always work. For example, we often position the bike on a junction in the same way. But what do you do if you encounter a traffic situation that is just a little different, so the default position may not be the right choice from a traffic flow point of view? Then you have to be able to switch quickly. And that can be difficult’, explains Paul. Paul: ‘Take, for example, a situation where we need to control two sides of a junction. If you park the bike at the first hazard point, you can walk to the next point. In that way, you’ve got both points reasonably covered and you won’t easily be taken by surprise. But if your bike is not in the right position, you’re in trouble, and the traffic will start moving. I often compare it to a concert where a thousand persons are clapping in time, and one is not. This job is a bit like that. You need talent and insight. It’s not enough to be a good motorcyclist.’ ❛❛ You need talent and insight. It’s not enough to be a good motorcyclist. Forward rider, lead bike and rear rider The BMW’s black leather upholstery feels soft and comfortable. Four police motorcycles are positioned in front of our car, ready to depart. The students can be recognised by their yellow motor jackets and helmets. Today we are a small motorcade of three cars that must be escorted through the Rotterdam traffic. ‘The students practice various roles, those of forward rider, lead bike and rear rider, for example. The lead bike is in charge and will always dictate the speed of the procession. The cars do not pass him’, explains Dirk. Dirk works at the Noord-Nederland police unit. He has a great deal of experience with motorcycle escorts. From behind the steering wheel, he has a good view of the students in front of and behind him. Paul will be riding on a bike together with another instructor. The students scouted and discussed the route earlier in the morning, so they all know exactly which route they will be taking and where traffic control will be required. As we approach a junction, the forward bikes are already at the traffic lights to stop all the traffic. When we come close to the traffic lights, they jump back on their bikes and continue to the next crucial point. We hear fierce whistling behind us. It is the rear rider who is signalling to traffic users to watch and follow the traffic lights again. ‘Hundred metres red. Fifty metres red. On the junction. Move to farthest right lane, now’, we hear through the walkie-talkie. ‘We keep our communications by walkie-talkie as short as possible. ‘Fifty metres red’, for example, means the procession is fifty metres away from a red traffic light. The forward rider then knows he can get back on his bike and continue. In addition, we always form a “bubble” to minimise the threat to the VIP. This is also why we drive either entirely on the left or entirely on the right of the road. You need to have your eyes everywhere and always be alert. It’s a team effort where everything must come together’, says Dirk. Escorting ambulances and football supporters The course not only teaches students different roles but also how to provide different types of escorts, such as ambulance escorts. Dirk knows from his own experience that ‘most ambulance escorts involve transporting babies. An ambulance carrying a baby in an incubator can drive much more smoothly with an escort. It won’t have to brake abruptly because of other traffic. This helps prevent tubes from coming loose, for example.’ Dirk: ‘In major incidents, we sometimes have two or three ambulances driving behind us. But we also do escorts for bicycle races and football supporters. Buses carrying football supporters sometimes form processions up to a mile long. Good communication is essential in that case. For example, the rear rider can indicate when all the vehicles have passed a corner. Only then can the lead bike accelerate again.’ ❛❛ An ambulance carrying a baby in an incubator can drive much more smoothly with an escort. Evaluation after every ride ‘You should always avoid significant changes in speed during escorts. A smooth ride is not only important for ambulances, but also for VIPs. The calmer the ride, the more comfortable it is. We also have to take the length of the procession into account. The further back you are in the procession, the greater the impact of braking. The first car may still be able to brake in time, but will the second and third cars be able to anticipate this? This is why it is important for the person on the lead bike to imagine they are in a car. The experience inside a car is very different to that on a bike. Particularly on bumps and in corners’, says Dirk, winking as we cross a speed bump just a bit too fast. We ride in our ‘bubble’ across junctions, merge onto motorways and brave a traffic jam. Despite the heavy traffic, no other road users come too close to our motorcade. As we arrive at our destination, one of the students cheers: ‘What a great ride, it went well!’ After every ride, the students and instructors discuss what went well and what can still be improved. According to Dirk, every real ride is also followed by an evaluation. ‘This is important to make it as safe as possible and minimise errors.’ Motorcycle Escort Course The course takes three weeks in total. In the first week, students ride different routes through built-up areas, after which they go on the motorway. First without overtaking, and then including overtaking. The exercises gradually build up to escorting an ambulance, conducting a ride involving calamities, and escorting columns. On the last day, the students take an exam. All the students who have completed the course are expected to be deployed during the NATO Summit. After the Motorcycle Escort Course, students return for two days of additional training, focusing particularly on safety. There they will learn how to position their motorbikes to give themselves the best possible view, for example.