Advocacy & Safety - Law Enforcement on Bicycles

I just want some opinions. What does everyone think of police officers on bikes? I want good opinions as I'm trying to get us some bikes at my department and would like some good feed back. No junk.

I Thought bears and gorillas were the only other animals that can ride bikes? :roflmao:

Our little town of South Williamsport PA had them, they worked pretty good in the summer, they only had them when another cop was on patrol in a car. Came in good for the Little League World Series, they're quiet, can go places squad cars can't, people actually take time out to talk to the police. In my opinion they are a good thing, actually puts a police presence out there. I wouldn't use this as the only means of patrolling but I think it is a good idea.
Dave

There is an extremely nice bike path that runs through my town and four other neighboring towns. It has brought some tourism to the towns. It has increased awarness of all kinds of bike related things. Each town has a few patrol bikes and so does the state parks department. In fact so do some other towns. It is considered state park property and it runs through a couple of other parks. The state parks dept. has maybe 20 bikes for park rangers etc. not just for this area, but for all the state parks. Everyone is pretty happy with the bike patrols just for what drissel says. I know of a time they apprehended a car in traffic. They add police presence in the areas where the cars can't do as well like in the middle of the city and out in the woods or a park area. An officer on a bike can go down stairs and in narrow places and travel very quietly. The bike officers actually draw people to them who want to talk about the bike patrol, and the bikes. You can cover a lot more distance than on foot and the bike is cheap compared to a car or motorcycle. An officer on a bike seems much more approachable.

A lot of it depends on your towns geography and the density of the population. If you have lots of wide open areas and everything is far apart, it's not so good.

Saw officers in Clarkson/Mississauga on bikes. Always two guys/gals at a time. What upset me once was seeing them ride on the side walk on one of the busier streets around the (then new) satellite presinct. I'm assuming they were trying to get to the lake front paths. I think if they don't want to ride on the busy road, it would be better for them to be picked up by a cruiser at the path than be visible doing *that*!

But I've always liked seeing them on the path/little roads; and when I moved to London, wondered why we don't see them here. London is a much more bike friendly town it seems, but no bike police (that I saw in my two years here).

I think it's a great idea to have bicycle patrol people in all departments. Even to always reinforce the importance of bicycles to the other street patrol guys in cruisers, on foot, or on horses. Also creates a great image (as long as they don't use the sidewalk!).

I think it is a great idea. It gets officers out of the car and into the public where they can be more involved in the community. people are more likely have a positive view of the police if they see officers as people in the community rather than just drivers of police cars who they only see outside of patrol cars when crimes are occuring. Patrol areas tend o be much too large to patrol on foot, but bicycles can put a beat cop back in the neighbor hood. Plus, criminals never hear you coming.;)

They are great at the Woodward Dream Cruise because its a horrible traffic jam that bikes can squease right through, but then again, motorcycles can do the same thing better. I suppose its a community policing move (if I'm using that term correctly), and a move that makes far more sense in a big city than in a little town. Many people hate and fear cops and bike patrol officers seem to dispell some of that. Plus bikes are obviously cheaper than a fully outfitted squad car.

Only problem is bikes can't get anywhere fast, and they can't hold a lot of equipment.

I am a big fan of them here in Portland. Apart from being a supportive presence to cyclists downtown and other places, I think it encourages positive interaction between pedestrians and the police. My only complaint is that they are the worst sidewalk riders out there. They're permitted to do so when necessary, but most of them just seem unwilling to get off the sidewalk to me. All the other police ignore it.

I think Seattle had the first, modern bicycle patrol, and I know my city of Vancouver, BC has had a parol for a long time, and everything I have heard or read about them has been positive.

Googled it and came up with

http://www.ipmba.org/

International Police Mountain Bike Asociation. A great resource that'll help you out.

I just want some opinions. What does everyone think of police officers on bikes? I want good opinions as I'm trying to get us some bikes at my department and would like some good feed back. No junk.


Big fan of Bike Police. A few years back I got doored. Being a martial artist, I did a diving roll over the car door, rolled to my feet unscathed (nobody was more suprised at this than me). The bike didn't fare so well. Tacoed front wheel, bent bars. FIFTEEN SECONDS after it happened, (I swear) around the corner comes the local bicycle patrol officer. He was completely sympathetic to my situation, lectured the driver about how I had been in the right place, doing the right thing (it was a narrow street, too narrow for a 3-foot safety zone between me and the parked cars), ticketed the driver ($80), and made him give me his insurance info. Yep, I am a big fan of bicycle patrol officers.

It's a good idea. it makes them more accessible to people, and therefore less intimidating, while at the same time helping deter street crime by being extremely visible and aware of the immediate environment in a way they can't be in a car. they also have the advantage of being able to respond faster and with more agility in some situations. I just saw two Bike cops in Tempe last week on my commute.

I saw a Boston PD officer on bike on my commute Thursday. Great to see. As above, I can only think that having officers on bikes increases interactions with the public. Much more approachable than officers sitting or driving in a squad car.

I'd be surprised if you are going to find any negative views among the choir here. Other than riding on the sidewalk, anyone else have a negative interaction with bicycle-mounted officers (that you didn't deserve)?

Good luck.

I'm trying to think about this from the perspective of the police, the public and as a cyclist. I find that I have both positive and negative feelings.

First, bike cops can serve some of the same purposes as horse mounted police. They can be very useful for patrolling parks, demonstrations, parades, crowds, etc. -- any event or location with lots of pedestrians and cyclists.They seem to make officers more accessible and friendly seeming, as somebody else mentioned, and that's a positive. However, they are not as picturesque as mounteds, and nowhere near as intimidating in a riot situation.

They are stealthy, so effectively used arrest people for "nuisance crimes" like smoking weed on the sidewalk. Your superiors will like that, but I think it sucks. I suppose they're good for chasing bad guys on foot or on bikes, but not as good as small motor scooters, which I think are underused in police work.

As a cyclist, I have misgivings about the riding abilities of most bike cops. I can very easily outride the ones around here, and I'm 50 years old, so that's kind of pitiful. Most cops understandably want to be big (muscular and/or fat), but that's a detriment for cycling all day. Plus they carry like 30 pouds of gear or even more. (I do that too, but not when I'm in a hurry.) One cop here told me he actually only rides about six or seven miles a day and I have absolutely no respect for low mileage like that. And they're really slow, which is pretty funny.

But they probably do improve the image of cycling, especially utility cycling, and that's a great thing.

I am all for it. At $3 gas, it shouldn't be that hard a sell. Bike police I think are more approachable. I have talked with cops about bikes on many occasions. I also think it does a fairly good job of elevating the profile of bicyclists with the average driver and also make the police more aware of the issues cyclists face. Win win and eco friendly.

Cops on bicycles are much more effective in noticing and breaking up street crime. I know that here in DC they have been particularly potent against open air drug sales.

Secondly - cops on bicycles stay more physically fit. Too many patrol cars are manned by guys who couldn't run 10 feet to save their life (or mine).

where in your department will this bicycle division fall under? i found that this was a major stumbling block when i presented it to my former department back in the day-

do you have someones' ear / or enough yrs under your belt to be taken seriously? remember you're talking change to the rank and file, you know the deal.

logistically it can be a nightmare if there are not substations in place.

don't get those pos overpriced made for cop bikes that are available from galls or any other supply house, get real duty cycles.

best of luck to you-

One cop here told me he actually only rides about six or seven miles a day and I have absolutely no respect for low mileage like that. And they're really slow, which is pretty funny.

The "absolute" lack of respect says more about a certain mindset about respect for other cyclists than it does about the value of bicycling for police work.

Who would pay for the bikes?

I just want some opinions. What does everyone think of police officers on bikes? I want good opinions as I'm trying to get us some bikes at my department and would like some good feed back. No junk.


Well i talked with some local cops during the mumfest here in downtown barberton last year and they all said the same thing. The number one benifit they find with bikes is the better level of interaction with the public. This obviously helps them to get to know the people they serv. Sounds corny as hell but its true. Police often are disliked by the public mostly because the public never see them in a manner where they can just talk about nothing inpaticular just shooting the sh*t so to speak. Bikes also give cyclists and cops something in common to talk about.

A lot of the above is prtty accurate. Officers on bicycles can be very effective, particularly in tight urban cores or other places where a swift response by car isn't always possible. They also provide a more community minded and humanised face for law enforcement. Being able to make a show of presence in a patrol car my be a necessity on occasion, however, being able to make a show of accessibility can also be highly valuable.

Incidentally, the officer in the UK with the highest arrest record is a cycle officer.

Anything that gets a cop not to sit in a parking lot with the car idling for hours and gets them on a bike is a good thing

I just want some opinions. What does everyone think of police officers on bikes? I want good opinions as I'm trying to get us some bikes at my department and would like some good feed back. No junk.

"If you don't know. Don't say anything.

And for God sakes Quit hating on Police Officers."


You forgot to add "The first and last words I want to hear out of your filthy sewers is SIR! Do you understand that, you maggots?"

Dude, tone it down, I haven't found that this board is anti police. There are those, myself included, that believe that police in general are dismissive of the rights of cyclists, but we're not a bunch of gang-bangers.

"If you don't know. Don't say anything.

And for God sakes Quit hating on Police Officers."


You forgot to add "The first and last words I want to hear out of your filthy sewers is SIR! Do you understand that, you maggots?"

Dude, tone it down, I haven't found that this board is anti police. There are those, myself included, that believe that police in general are dismissive of the rights of cyclists, but we're not a bunch of gang-bangers.
I noticed a little of that "cop attitude" in the OP too. I'm glad you said something. I thought it was just me.

When he said "No Junk" my initial reaction was that I wanted to say "Yessir!" and then post something junky. But I held myself back and I think I gave him a pretty good response. We'll see if Officer OP agrees that it was good. :)

As a cyclist, I have misgivings about the riding abilities of most bike cops. I can very easily outride the ones around here, and I'm 50 years old, so that's kind of pitiful. Most cops understandably want to be big (muscular and/or fat), but that's a detriment for cycling all day. Plus they carry like 30 pouds of gear or even more. (I do that too, but not when I'm in a hurry.) One cop here told me he actually only rides about six or seven miles a day and I have absolutely no respect for low mileage like that. And they're really slow, which is pretty funny.

As far as I know, most Agencys have requirements along the lines of you must be able to sprint 2 miles then ditch and chase somebody down to qualify to be a bike officer. Bike patrol officers are not speed demons like you or I because thats not their job. Remember, cops are sneaky little bastards who use stealth to get you by surprise for breaking various laws. You or I use bikes to travel, cops use them to patrol the neighborhood. There is a big difference.

The "absolute" lack of respect says more about a certain mindset about respect for other cyclists than it does about the value of bicycling for police work.

Jeeze can you be negative about everything. You need to pull your "mindset" out of where ever you keep it.

That 6-7 miles covered in only one day can be just as easily done on foot.

Locally, that 6-7 miles is two trips up and down the beach boardwalk. If a few more miles cannot be put in on an 8 hour shift, what kind of ground are these cops covering?

20 miles of bike riding in an 8 hour shift shouldn't be unusual at all.

As far as I know, most Agencys have requirements along the lines of you must be able to sprint 2 miles then ditch and chase somebody down to qualify to be a bike officer. Bike patrol officers are not speed demons like you or I because thats not their job. Remember, cops are sneaky little bastards who use stealth to get you by surprise for breaking various laws. You or I use bikes to travel, cops use them to patrol the neighborhood. There is a big difference.
Yeah but wouldn't it be sweet if they could zoom halfway across town in a few minutes like we do? They ride like bikes are heavily armored tanks, when they're really more like light horse cavalry, nimble and quiet.

Jeeze can you be negative about everything.

20 miles of bike riding in an 8 hour shift shouldn't be unusual at all.
Sorry that you believe thinking is negative and that you also lack respect for cyclists who don't run up the miles on the computer. But what makes you think a bike cop must be constantly moving to do his job; or works an entire shift using only the bike? Maybe in San Diego the bike cop's only task is to cruise with the other bikers along the beach ALL DAY working on their tan and running up their training miles on their odometer.

Perhaps others work places where the need for bike patrol is only part time during certain hours, or different officers trade duties during a day. Or they get off their bike and write tickets, help- tourists, direct traffic, check on the welfare of various citizens and merchants along their route, etc., etc. I don't know the setup of the one bike cop who Roody got his second or third hand "info" about, but I personnaly would refrain from making comments about an "absolute lack of respect" for someone (anyone) for not running up enough miles; seems too negative to me.

I'm not trying to change the topic. However, Saturday, at a community event I observed 2 fire department cyclists, in uniform and on marked bikes. My initial reaction was, "This is a complete waste of money."

I really support good, hard riding, bike patrols for the police. I'm not so sure about fire fighters on bikes though.

One cop here told me he actually only rides about six or seven miles a day and I have absolutely no respect for low mileage like that. And they're really slow, which is pretty funny.

But they probably do improve the image of cycling, especially utility cycling, and that's a great thing.

The job of a police officer is to protect the public, not put in as many miles as possible. If the officer spends an hour riding eight miles and seven hours talking to people and investigating situations, that sounds like a good mix to me.

Similarly, though it may be good for traffic enforcement, I'm not sure that time spent in a patrol car is terribly productive from the standpoint of protecting the public from criminals. How effectively can someone be while concentrating on driving? Also, here in the DC area, traffic is often gridlocked, and an automobile inhibits, rather than enhances, mobility. I'd like to see more police officers out walking or riding the beat where they are in a good position to do real police work.

Don't get me wrong -- I think that patrol cars are great for providing backup and traffic enforcement in many areas. I just don't think they are always the best mode for real police work.

Paul

There are certainly positives.
The 'negative' is that their role is primarily pedestrian law enforcement, so by neccesary nature of the job, they act more like pedestrians. (i.e. sidewalk riding)
It would be nice if they could spent more time riding in the road, especially when getting between places where pedestrian patrol is needed. Being on the road and role modeling safe and lawful traffic skills/behaviors from an official government position is a missed opportunity I think.
Here is some good stuff about bicycle policing:
http://www.ipmba.org/
Al

I just want some opinions. What does everyone think of police officers on bikes? I want good opinions as I'm trying to get us some bikes at my department and would like some good feed back. No junk.

In Houston, we have bicycle cops primarily around the courthouse and in certain areas of downtown where there is a greater level of foot traffic. I think they're a great idea. The visibility and mobility that they bring to the job is the biggest selling point, I think. Also, the ones I've seen seem to be in pretty good shape and a long way from the cliche image of the donut-gobbling cop sitting behind the wheel of a cruiser. I think the main job these guys do is traffic enforcement and acting as a deterrent to street crime in what is a bit of dicey area at times. They seem to do it pretty well.

As a cyclist, I have misgivings about the riding abilities of most bike cops. I can very easily outride the ones around here, and I'm 50 years old, so that's kind of pitiful. Most cops understandably want to be big (muscular and/or fat), but that's a detriment for cycling all day. Plus they carry like 30 pouds of gear or even more. The gear might be why they are so slow. Bike cops here have to wear bulletproof vests... in any weather... :) Also their bikes are geared more toward comfort than toward speed. After all, they don't really need to go too fast: as far as I know, high-speed chases are still done by cops in cars. :D

I think in general having bike cops can be a good thing for cyclists: they are more sympathetic toward cyclists, for one thing and might set a good example for cyclists (as well as reinforce the idea that cyclists belong on the road). Unfortunately, I see them ride in a pretty lousy fashion: too close to the curb for one thing. Occasionally they do some sidewalk riding too which in fact reinforces the stupid notion that cyclists belong on the sidewalk...

To answer the original posters question... I think putting cops on bikes is a great idea, it allows police to get to areas that might otherwise be poorly served. It gives them better access to the people on the beat and the advantage of a bike verses foot beat means faster responses and patrols in areas that might otherwise have poor coverage.

I would also like to think that cops on bikes might give the officers a chance to see a cyclist's perspective of traffic, which could lend officers a bit of sympathy to the cyclists' cause.

And in an 8 hour day, again I would be quite surprised if they didn't cover at least 2 miles an hour, to make for a 16 mile day.

Atlanta city/airport, Peachtree city and several other towns in the area have bike police. Maybe you could send them an email and see what they think of it. There were also some Alpharetta EMTs on bikes at the Tour de Georgia, a good way to get around in crowds.

. . . . I would also like to think that cops on bikes might give the officers a chance to see a cyclist's perspective of traffic, which could lend officers a bit of sympathy to the cyclists' cause.

And in an 8 hour day, again I would be quite surprised if they didn't cover at least 2 miles an hour, to make for a 16 mile day.
I've never seen them ride in traffic here. They load their bikes on the back of a SUV to go a couple miles between locations.

Amherst, NY has police patrols on bikes. You might want to contact them and ask about their experience.

http://www.amherst.ny.us/

I agree with the other responses - it's nice to see them on the paths and they are approachable. And forgive me but I'm not one to ordinarily make small talk with the police. It's hard not to though when they are riding with you and start to chat.

We have officers on bikes here when we have the Big Spring Jam event. It's good to see them about, and last year I talked to them for a while, because he had a Specialized MTB just like mine.

Agree about www.ipmba site.

It provides all the necessary information about how very effective bike cops are. And this isn't just a US thing: their effectiveness has been proved in a wide variety of countries.

There are plenty of downloadable articles from IPMBA's on line newsletters to support your case with your superiors. Their training course has been adopted (minus use of firearms on bike) in the UK to my knowledge.

One local police superintendent was convinced the first time he accompanied the, then, sole bike copper in his station when they nabbed a dealer with £30k's worth of cocaine on him.

They often get to the scene before the patrol cars (something about the superiority of bikes in traffic - can't imagine why) and, as other posters have said, they find that they interact more easily with members of the public than do even foot patrol officers. Something to do with the bike being a "safe" opening gambit in their conversation.

I'm sure that IPMBA reps will be able to find someone who could talk to your boss(es) convincingly.

Good luck

I'm afraid I don't see the fit for bicycle patrols. If you're looking for face-to-face policing, the bike is too fast for pedestrians and too slow for motor vehicles. Foot patrols would seem to be more appropriate for urban areas. A motorcycle could be conducive for "stop-and-chat" efforts while retaining high-speed response and some load carrying abilities, and a right-sized motorcycle will go everywhere a bicycle will go.

Unless you need to patrol an actual bike race or biking path I would think there are more negatives than positives. Even then, the support and camera crews for bike races use cars and motorcycles.

They have bike cops on my street in the summer. With miniaturisation of electronic equipment (radios and computers) they can provide full policing service (except transport of arrested persons) while maintaining close contact with the public.

We tried to get our chief to allow us to patrol on bicycles in 1985. I was willing to provide my own bike. (We must provide our own firearms down here, so it would be equally normal to do so.) The local "strip" was impossible to effectively patrol in cars, and on foot we were effective but limited in mobility. The people we saw zipping around on bikes told us right away that THERE was a good idea. Of course, big agencies never innovate, and the idea was quashed. Several years later, however, we eagerly copied Seattle's bike program, our command staff praising the pioneering efforts on the West Coast. By that time, I was a field training officer, a respected and more highly paid position, so to get into a bicycle position would be, in effect, a demotion, so I stayed in the car. Then came attrition of manpower, and the bike patrols were cut 'way back because in a sprawling city, a bike officer cannot cover as much ground as a patrol car-based officer. (There were a few notable exceptions!) Now, it's mostly downtown and in certain large park areas. By the way, I do not work for my listed hometown, but for a larger nearby municipality that will remain nameless. Pin a badge on yourself, and you lose the right of free speech. And the right to not be required to provide evidence against yourself. (The 5th) And y'all thought only private citizens feared their guvment.

BTW, my agency's bike trainers are affiliated with the IPMBA, and use their standards of training. Had I been allowed to buy my own bike and use it back in 1985, I would have probably have used a road bike with slightly higher bars and fatter tires, much like a cyclocross bike of today.

A contrarian view: bicycle cops are ungainly creatures resembling nothing more than a plump Ninja turtle wobbling around your neighborhood on a two-wheeler.

Bristling with various radios, cellphones, and semi-automatic weapons, all wrapped up in black kevlar, and, yes . . . securely helmetted, police are now routinely deployed downtown on fancy mountain bikes in their never ending quest for "public safety." Typically emblazoned with a contrasting white banner across their backs proclaiming POLICE, these new pedaling centurions serve as an annoying reminder of how pervasive the saturation of Law Enforcement personnel has become in our communities and locales.

When I was growing up, the cops around our small hometown pretty much concerned themselves with breaking up bar fights or locking up and guarding some real criminal they might apprehend in the rare case of fraud, assault, or murder. Before the advent of the new breed of revenue collector/social nanny/anti-terrorist storm trooper, the only place one usually even saw a policeman was directing traffic in the middle of town or at a big high school basketball game.

It is amazing to me that people wonder why their tax bills are so increasingly enormous while the ranks of their euphemistically labeled "public servants" continue to swell unabated, not only to ride herd on us on their $2,000.00 mountain bikes, but now to conveniently protect all and sundry from that burgeoning new and all-encompassing modern shibboleth, "terrorism."

Bleh.

I'm afraid I don't see the fit for bicycle patrols. If you're looking for face-to-face policing, the bike is too fast for pedestrians and too slow for motor vehicles. Foot patrols would seem to be more appropriate for urban areas. A motorcycle could be conducive for "stop-and-chat" efforts while retaining high-speed response and some load carrying abilities, and a right-sized motorcycle will go everywhere a bicycle will go.

Unless you need to patrol an actual bike race or biking path I would think there are more negatives than positives. Even then, the support and camera crews for bike races use cars and motorcycles.

Just log on to the IPMBA website and read. As for too fast for pedestrians, IIRC, bikes have brakes and the officers can just ride v...e...r...y s...l...o...w...l...y. And as for cars, they don't move very quickly in heavy traffic and more than one driver has been suprised to be pulled over by a bike cop.

Foot patrols are much slower than bike patrols and busting drug dealers is easier on a bike because, even in full police kit, dealers and their customers often don't notice their approach. In fact, so unobservant are they, that, at one IPMBA annual conference a group of about 10 bike cops from all parts of the country rode up to dealers at a notorious dealers' spot and merrily arrested the whole bunch of them.

Having trained a fair number of local police in safe riding in traffic, I've had confirmation of the superiority of bike patrols over either foot or car from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

I'm afraid I don't see the fit for bicycle patrols. If you're looking for face-to-face policing, the bike is too fast for pedestrians and too slow for motor vehicles. Foot patrols would seem to be more appropriate for urban areas. A motorcycle could be conducive for "stop-and-chat" efforts while retaining high-speed response and some load carrying abilities, and a right-sized motorcycle will go everywhere a bicycle will go.

Unless you need to patrol an actual bike race or biking path I would think there are more negatives than positives. Even then, the support and camera crews for bike races use cars and motorcycles.

Just because a bike can be ridden faster than a pedestrian can walk does not mean they have to be. Bikes are excellent as part of the police mix at any crowd event. A bike can slow to a walking speed, or for that matter an officer can even stop and get off. But if can also move through uncrowded areas quickly. Major sporting events, street fairs or the beach/park often have several crowded areas seperated by open areas of 1/4 to a couple of miles. Bikes are perfect for that. The vast majority of places that are suited for foot patrols have some areas with potential for action and also areas with little potential. For a officer on foot these gaps represent a huge waste. A cycle going through the same low potential area goes slow enough to still make sure, yet fast enough to not waste time.

Motorcycles and the culture of police that goes with them makes it less useful for community outreach than even a squad car. High boots, dark glasses and the bike itself all work to create a barrier between the policeman and the public. Bike patrols on the other hand usually have a toned down version of the uniform, minimising the barrier. The same toning down would look stupid on a motor officer, but fits right in for a bicycle officer.

Bikes are also very valuable as a part of patroling warehouse or retail districts or drug areas. They are small quiet and do not look out of place stopped. In short they are harder to see than the criminal and thus much more apt to see him before he sees them. The reverse is true for either squads of motorcycles.


But this does NOT mean that bikes are 'THE ANSWER'. They are not. In the crowd situation they are best at dealing with things before they are a problem. They are good for arresting the one jerk. But after an arrest they are all but worthless for transporting. They are a poor choice for potential riot situations. For the warehouse district they are the scout. For the actual bust they need support. Bike patrols are not much good for running down any criminal who has made it to his car. In short they are not magic, but they are a very useful part of any police force.


BTW last bike police I saw were just last Sunday at a street fair. Riding slow, but still faster than a normal person would walk. Slow enough that anyone could have talked to them, fast enough that they covered twice the ground a cop on foot would while being totallt rested. And if there was any trouble report they could have been there in seconds and still fresh. Much faster than a man on foot, which would have been by far the second fastest way to get anywhere.

In Amherst, I haven't seen any automatic weapons, etc.

The cops I talked to told me that the town wanted them on the miles of long bike trails so that people would feel safe. Perhaps the town still remembers the senseless killing of Linda Yalem, a SUNY/Buffalo student assaulted and killed while running along one of the town's paths in 1993.


A contrarian view: bicycle cops are ungainly creatures resembling nothing more than a plump Ninja turtle wobbling around your neighborhood on a two-wheeler.

Bristling with various radios, cellphones, and semi-automatic weapons, all wrapped up in black kevlar, and, yes . . . securely helmetted, police are now routinely deployed downtown on fancy mountain bikes in their never ending quest for "public safety." Typically emblazoned with a contrasting white banner across their backs proclaiming POLICE, these new pedaling centurions serve as an annoying reminder of how pervasive the saturation of Law Enforcement personnel has become in our communities and locales.

When I was growing up, the cops around our small hometown pretty much concerned themselves with breaking up bar fights or locking up and guarding some real criminal they might apprehend in the rare case of fraud, assault, or murder. Before the advent of the new breed of revenue collector/social nanny/anti-terrorist storm trooper, the only place one usually even saw a policeman was directing traffic in the middle of town or at a big high school basketball game.

It is amazing to me that people wonder why their tax bills are so increasingly enormous while the ranks of their euphemistically labeled "public servants" continue to swell unabated, not only to ride herd on us on their $2,000.00 mountain bikes, but now to conveniently protect all and sundry from that burgeoning new and all-encompassing modern shibboleth, "terrorism."

Bleh.

I like the bike cops -- makes them seem more accessible even though I don't talk to them. The fact that they ride on the sidewalk and I don't doesn't bother me. First of all, patrolling isn't about racing around. The sidewalk is where the people are, so that's a logical place for them to be. They move slowly so it is not unsafe for anyone.

I'm not sure why some people are worried about how fast the cops ride. A lot of cars are faster than patrol cars, trained runners can move faster, so it's a no brainer that a cycling nut on a racing machine should be faster too. However, cops have radios and there will be other opportunities to catch you so trying to speed away ain't wise.

Just because a bike can be ridden faster than a pedestrian can walk does not mean they have to be. Bikes are excellent as part of the police mix at any crowd event. A bike can slow to a walking speed, or for that matter an officer can even stop and get off. But if can also move through uncrowded areas quickly. Major sporting events, street fairs or the beach/park often have several crowded areas seperated by open areas of 1/4 to a couple of miles. Bikes are perfect for that. The vast majority of places that are suited for foot patrols have some areas with potential for action and also areas with little potential. For a officer on foot these gaps represent a huge waste. A cycle going through the same low potential area goes slow enough to still make sure, yet fast enough to not waste time.

Motorcycles and the culture of police that goes with them makes it less useful for community outreach than even a squad car. High boots, dark glasses and the bike itself all work to create a barrier between the policeman and the public. Bike patrols on the other hand usually have a toned down version of the uniform, minimising the barrier. The same toning down would look stupid on a motor officer, but fits right in for a bicycle officer.

Bikes are also very valuable as a part of patroling warehouse or retail districts or drug areas. They are small quiet and do not look out of place stopped. In short they are harder to see than the criminal and thus much more apt to see him before he sees them. The reverse is true for either squads of motorcycles.


But this does NOT mean that bikes are 'THE ANSWER'. They are not. In the crowd situation they are best at dealing with things before they are a problem. They are good for arresting the one jerk. But after an arrest they are all but worthless for transporting. They are a poor choice for potential riot situations. For the warehouse district they are the scout. For the actual bust they need support. Bike patrols are not much good for running down any criminal who has made it to his car. In short they are not magic, but they are a very useful part of any police force.


BTW last bike police I saw were just last Sunday at a street fair. Riding slow, but still faster than a normal person would walk. Slow enough that anyone could have talked to them, fast enough that they covered twice the ground a cop on foot would while being totallt rested. And if there was any trouble report they could have been there in seconds and still fresh. Much faster than a man on foot, which would have been by far the second fastest way to get anywhere.


Of the positive things you mentioned, one thing you missed was QUIET. Bike patrols are relatively quiet, which means you can ride right up onto a crime scene before the perps even know it.

A bike cop can be easily hailed by a pedestrian, where as a patrol car or motorcycle both make noise and can obscure a hail.

But yes, you are right, they are only effective in some locations and for some jobs... they are just another tool in the total toolchest against street crime.

In Amherst, I haven't seen any automatic weapons, etc.

The cops I talked to told me that the town wanted them on the miles of long bike trails so that people would feel safe. Perhaps the town still remembers the senseless killing of Linda Yalem, a SUNY/Buffalo student assaulted and killed while running along one of the town's paths in 1993.

1. I wrote 'semi-automatic', not 'automatic'.

2. The operative word in your next paragraph is 'feel'.

Bike cops are cool. I like to see them around. In fact, here's one of my riding buddies ostensibly checking this wall for graffiti:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v246/pinit/ride/53881de3.jpg

He carries his (personal) Specialized P.2 around in the trunk of his cruiser and switches back and forth when he feels like it.

The best part? Security guards supplicate before him - we can ride urban anywhere we want.