As to your random question about how cops ride i found this from a CHP officer when asked the same question:

“Riding side by side makes communication easier, as officers can communicate by hand gestures and subtle movements (verbal communication is close to impossible because of the helmets and road noise, despite what you saw Ponch and Jon do on CHiPs). One can point out a hazard or a violator to the other. It’s also traditional, and vehicle codes generally permit two cyclists to ride side by side in the same lane.

As for the safety aspect, while this is marginally more dangerous than riding in single file, the hazard is greatly reduced by the very high quality training that CHP provides to their motor officers. The CHP motor school is the model for every other police motorcycle course in the country, and arguably the world. Agencies from all over send their instructors to the CHP to be trained. The riders’ course is extremely rigorous, and there is a high wash-out rate. The students are all experienced traffic officers who have already completed a very rigorous vehicle operations course and been on the road as patrol officers for several years, so it’s not like they are green rookies. The bar is set very high for these riders, and they have an impressive safety record.”