VIDALIA — The City of Vidalia’s police department will soon add two motorcycles into its traffic patrol rotation.

The motorcycles, which were recently purchased at a cost of $20,000 each, are in the possession of the police department but have not yet been detailed for police work.

Police Chief Arthur Lewis said the motorcycles — 2016 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Police models — were purchased with funds that were included in the budget for the department.

The purchase would make Vidalia the only local law enforcement jurisdiction to use motorcycles.

Lewis said the vehicles were purchased with the intent of further developing the department’s motor patrolling capabilities.

“These will basically be used for working traffic, working accidents,” he said. “They will be useful for when there’s an accident on the (Mississippi River) bridge that a patrol unit (car) can’t get to.”

Lewis said the motorcycles would be assigned to specific officers. When they are ready for the road, officers Charlie Ferguson and Dennis Cowan will be assigned to the motorcycles, he said.

“We are not going to let just anybody go out on them,” he said. “We are going to train them and make sure they know how to use them right.”

In September, the department also added a dedicated car for the DARE officer — a Chevrolet SUV — to its fleet of vehicles.