6. Bike patrols can go where traditional patrol vehicles can’t: One of the biggest advantages to bicycle patrol is its ability to navigate swiftly around a campus, avoiding obstacles and hazards that would stop a patrol vehicle in its tracks. University and college campuses are characterized by car-free zones, clusters of buildings with limited vehicle access, constant construction, events of all kinds, texting pedestrians, and people skateboarding and even bicycling into traffic.
Responding to calls in a motor vehicle can take a great deal of time, and often the car can’t access a remote location or is blocked by pedestrians or other barriers. As for events, whether the situation is a sporting event, concert or student protest, bicycle police have the unmatched ability to be in the center of crowds with the means to get to other areas quickly.
7. Bicycle officers can use all of their senses to detect illegal activity: Bicycle officers encounter crime as it is happening and can see, hear and even smell clues that lead them to areas where crimes are being committed.
Brad Miller, a Lewisburg bicycle officer, describes his apprehension of a suspect, saying, “As I began to ride past a building, a [Bucknell University Public Safety] car pulled alongside. Right then, I heard something in the bushes. That’s right. I HEARD something that the officer in the car would never have heard,” (Miller, 2006).
8. Cycles have other uses: While essential for community policing initiatives, bike patrols can be integrated into other operations and initiatives. Targeted enforcement, surveillance, traffic enforcement, and public order are just a few ways in which bike officers can be deployed.
Even in unruly crowd situations, bike officers have a unique ability to develop a rapport with the members, defusing situations before they get out of control. When they do, bike patrol officers can not only maintain swift response times, but their bicycles can become a useful barrier. Bicycle officers are trained to hold up their bicycles at chest level while standing next to another bicycle officer. When the command is given, the bicycle officers march as one unit with the very sturdy, very light bicycle frame used as a shield (Goetz, 2002).
9. Bicycles cost much less to purchase and maintain than traditional patrol cars: The average fully equipped police bike costs around $1,000 and, properly maintained, will last for years. They don’t need gas for operation, nor the full-sized parking spaces required by other vehicles.
10. Bikes provide environmental and health benefits: Because bike patrols run on human power rather than gas, their carbon footprint is much smaller than patrol cars. With zero emissions and less need for pavement, bicycle patrols may be an attractive option for campuses with green initiatives.
Additionally, bike patrol officers tend to be healthier and more physically fit than their car-bound brethren. This has the side benefit of improving the department’s image and cutting down on donut jokes.
Where Bicycle Patrols Work Best
Source: IACP National Law Enforcement Policy Center. To obtain a copy of the full model bicycle patrol policy, visit www.ipmba.org. Where Bicycle Patrols Won’t Work
Source: IACP National Law Enforcement Policy Center. To obtain a copy of the full model bicycle patrol policy, visit www.ipmba.org. |
Christopher Bennett is a public safety bicycle patrol officer at DePauw University and Maureen Becker is executive director of the International Police Mountain Bike Association (IPMBA). For more information on IPMBA, visit www.ipmba.org.
First photo courtesy Christopher Bennett; second photo courtest iStockphoto.com.
