General Cycling Discussion - Bike Police/ Bike Paramedics

What do the police/paramedic in your area ride?
Ive seen Paramedics ride Cannodales with the Headshox..not sure about model..

Never seen paramedics around.

I swear nearly all the cops I see are on Klein hardtails, plus my school's public safety. At an airshow at McChord AFB, there were some contracted security guys riding cheap Pacific FS crap. I guess it got them along the tarmac, but I wouldn't want to chase someone across the field on one.

I've worked at a shop that sold Cannondale police models (way heavier than their regular models) and another that sold Raleigh police models. Most departments in this area use the Ralieghs.

EDIT: Both models were hardtails. There is a race for bike cops around here that's a rather popular event.

All cops I've seen around here are on Fujis, hardtails, no front suspension . The single most disgusting thing I see all the time is wrong fit. Police department or a cop for that matter is clueless on how to fit a bike! A few days ago I see this 250 and bout 6.2' guy riding with his knees almost hitting the bars. I would pay to see this guy chasing a criminal!

the cops at Atlanta Hartsfield Airport uses white Cannondales with flat bars...

Cop here rides a farkin Apollo.. I've left him behind a few times, after being warned about street riding in the mall :)

I've never actually got close enough to the bike police in Broadbeach to see what they ride. I think it's department store junk though.

Around here there on Cannondale's. I work for a security company and anytime we get a contract involving bike patrols I'm the first to get a call and we have to use our personal bikes, but getting paid to just ride around is fine with me I'd be riding anyway.

The PD here has two Trek police models. There well maintained and the officers are great!

I was looking at a couple of Police bikes at the fair last weekend and was trying to figure out what kind they were. It looked like a BMW emblem on top of the fork tube. I looked a little closer and saw BMW stamped into the side of the frame too. I didn't even know BMW made bicycles!!! They looked a lot like the cheap aluminum Wal Mart bikes except they were silver. Not sure what componenets they had on them but they looked pretty cheap.

I think maybe this is the bike those police bikes were based on...

http://www.bmwonline.com/Img/Img/Q3.S-open.jpg

In my experience, the quality of gear will vary greatly depending on whether the police department has full-time bike patrol or just "special events" bike patrol. If they have full time bike officers who get assigned their own bikes, they are likely to take better care of them, get them fitted right, and in general have more money in the budget to buy longer lasting, higher-grade equipment (and that goes for uniforms, lights, bags, sirens, etc.).
On the other hand, if you just have a part-time or "special events" bike patrol pool, then you buy the most generic, adjustable bike that is likely to be close to fitting whoever is working on the bike that day. And since cops come in all sizes, it's almost impossible to get a good fit. Same goes for saddles... Also, it's very likely that the bike budget is limited, so they'll get whatever the LBS cuts them a deal on or they buy them from police catalogs (the last few I saw were pusing Fuji).
In my case, the guy in charge of the program went to the LBS and told them "I have $XXX to spend on bikes, what can I get?" Needless to say, he didn't get the best because he had no idea what he was looking at... Giant Rincon

Originally posted by dragracer
I was looking at a couple of Police bikes at the fair last weekend and was trying to figure out what kind they were. It looked like a BMW emblem on top of the fork tube. I looked a little closer and saw BMW stamped into the side of the frame too. I didn't even know BMW made bicycles!!! They looked a lot like the cheap aluminum Wal Mart bikes except they were silver. Not sure what componenets they had on them but they looked pretty cheap.

I think maybe this is the bike those police bikes were based on...

http://www.bmwonline.com/Img/Img/Q3.S-open.jpg

BMW bikes in the UK used to be made by Falcon Cycles (mainly cheap entry level), don't know whether they still do...

The shop I worked for was a Cannondale dealer and we had the service contract for them in our area for a couple of years. The bikes where hardtails with 36 spoke wheels and set up with a pannier rack, full front and rear lights, horn...etc. Interestingly, they used clip pedals. I guess SPD compatible shoes weren't part of the approved uniform.

Last I heard, we lost the contract and they are now on Trek's haven't seen the bikes, but I assume they're basically the same.

L8R

The local city department uses Treks while the county sheriff's bike unit uses Specializeds. On Hilton Head, the Fire/Rescue unit had bikes, but switched to golf carts. It's easier to transport a patient on one.

I know Fuji makes a special frame for Public Safety personnel. and it does have front suspension. It's sold in a special catalog for us. Most departments think that 1 size fits all like department stores do. I know the paramedic service I used to work for all used 18" frames. Saying that de to aggressive riding techniques like going down steps you want a smaller frame. Sorry, didn't buy that. I want a bike frame for my size. The place I'm working for now has multiple sized bikes. Don't know if it's 1 or 2 in each size.

Heh....not in MY town. The cops here are securely bolted to the seats of their cars. They even want the trees chopped down on Main Street, because they're afraid people could hide behind them as the cops cruised along, looking for evil-doers from behind the windows of their vehicles. Any criminal in our town can evade hot pursuit easily by cutting across a lawn or two.

I have not paid much attention in my town. The county police might have one strapped to the back of thier cruiser. I know they have them in Atlanta, just not sure what brand.

A little off topic but I had come across some motorcycle EMS and fire crews. At least they are on two wheels. Below are links to some articles and photos. The test program in Miami looks promising to get help to emergencies faster during rush hour congestion.

Miami test program. (http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/6414213.htm)

Hong Kong EMS motorcycle. (http://blogs.motorbiker.org/mikewerner/Blog.nsf/dx/06252003132405MIKFDM.htm)

Hong Kong Fire Services. (http://blogs.motorbiker.org/mikewerner/Blog.nsf/dx/06242003162548MIKJX8.htm)

The police here ride in cars. o_O I've never seen an officer riding a bike before.

Austin-Travis County EMS ride Treks (mix of 6500 and 8500)...but our budget is in the crapper so we have not been able to update in a while. We keep them riding pretty well but it is a struggle.

The NRP Casino Unit in Niagara Falls has two new Norco Chargers that are outfitted with dual lights, Police Mudguards, and a rear rack. The unit patrols the Clifton Hill tourist area and some alleys and park areas.

http://www.norco.com/bikes/2003bikes/images/charger.jpg