NCJ Number
209670
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 53 Issue: 4 Dated: April 2005 Pages: 82-86
Date Published
April 2005
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article describes the use of volunteer reserve officers in bike units in various jurisdictions throughout the country.
Abstract
Reserve police officers receive the same training as their full-time counterparts but serve as volunteers in specified functions for a minimum number of hours a month. Many departments are using reserve officers in bike patrols. The Redmond Police Department (Oregon) uses reserve officers on bikes to patrol city parks, provide a police presence at community outreach programs and nonprofit events, direct traffic, and assist with crowd control at large sporting events or concerts. In Hempstead, TX, reserve officers on bikes patrol parking lots during football games as well as specific crime areas. The Mountain Home (Idaho) bike unit was a component of the first set of community policing initiatives adopted by the department under the belief that it would facilitate interactions between officers and citizens while maintaining police mobility. Due to their inherent qualities of speed, stealth, and easy penetration of congested areas, bikes are effective in crowd control, park patrol, and the prevention of and response to street crime. The services of bike patrols could be expanded by using reserve officers with full-time jobs in emergency medical services agencies. This would combine a police presence with the ability to provide a rapid emergency medical response at congested venues.