Twenty-four officers are assigned to the “Bike Squad” and each officer has been issued an appropriate uniform and a police mountain bike. Bicycle patrol officers enhance the police department’s community policing efforts.
From late spring to early fall, bicycle patrol brings a high profile police presence to specific areas of the city to deal with quality of life issues. These issues generally include public drinking, youths loitering, street level drug dealing, housing code violations, etc. Bicycle patrol officers also attend neighborhood crime watch meetings, community events and block parties. Bicycle patrol officers also make contacts with area businesses and enter businesses to speak with the clerk/owner to exchange information or concerns.