NCJ Number
176796
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 24 Issue: 9 Dated: September 1997 Pages: 36-38-82
Date Published
1997
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Police bike patrols are effective because they are more approachable and a close relationship between the police and the community is an important component of community policing.
Abstract
Bike patrols are particularly suitable for smaller patrol areas and are often used for targeted patrol assignments. Many bike units have installed racks on patrol cars; bike patrols can drive to a patrol area and then use their bikes to patrol. Bikes are relatively silent, and this allows police officers to show up without being announced. Bikes can go places patrol cars cannot, and this makes them highly unpredictable. They can be used day and night, and are not restricted by roads. Bike patrol is the least expensive form of police patrol. Other benefits of bike patrols are their impact on the health and fitness of police officers and their value as a public relations tool. Bike patrols are not recommended for all police departments, especially in rural areas where hundreds of miles must be patrolled. It is estimated there are more than 10,000 bike patrol officers throughout the United States. 3 photographs