NCJ Number
194813
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 50 Issue: 4 Dated: April 2002 Pages: 92-96
Date Published
2002
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article reviews the role of the police cyclist beyond community policing into surveillance and traffic enforcement and future expansion with advancements in bicycle technology, equipment, and training.
Abstract
Bicycle officers continue to be an essential and integral component of community policing. However, today law enforcement agencies are exploring ways to incorporate the police cyclists into other various operations. This article discusses four additional ways police cyclists can move beyond community policing. First, reactive policing requires the police cyclist to perform the everyday functions of police work such as investigating burglaries and responding to ambulance requests with the only difference being they are on their bikes. Second, the police cyclist is employed for surveillance. They become an observation officer who, once an offense occurs, calls it in to the waiting motorized contact unit. Third, the police cyclist performs night operations in addition to their daylight operations. An officer on a bike can easily conceal themselves in the darkness. Lastly, police cyclists are used for traffic enforcement. They are assigned to downtown settings where congestion is high and speeds low, utilized in residential areas for speeding and stop sign violations, and in patrolling mall parking lots, especially during holidays. With continued advancements in equipment, technology, and training the use of the bike in law enforcement will expand as an effective policing tool.