New Albany Police Department increases officers on bike patrol

Jones said, but some of them have other responsibilities that If New Albany come first, such as residents see more being a K-9 handler or officers on bicycles, it school resource is by design. officer.

The New Albany Two of the six Police Department trained bike offihas had a bike unit cers will have bike for some time, but patrol as part of their its visibility has not primary duties, city always been as high spokesman Scott as desired because of Mcafee said. staffing challenges, Patrol officers more police Chief Greg easily can incorporate Jones said. bike patrol into

Patrolling on a their duties than bicycle is ideal for officers with specialty the central part of responsibilities, Jones the city, as well as in said. neighborhoods, Jones And the two school said. Third-shift resource officers officers also have are available to bike used the bike patrol throughout the community to target garage and during the car break-ins because summer in July and they are not as visible August, he said, but to thieves when riding they still bring their bikes as they are in a bikes to school when police cruiser. they can.

In good weather, Officer Ryan officers on bikes Southers said he also are better able rides his bike to calls to interact with the for service on the community, Jones New Albany-plain said. Local School District

The department has campus because six officers trained it’s quicker than in bike patrolling, responding on foot or by car.

“It really cuts down the response time,” he said.

An officer on a bike also is more approachable to students than one in a cruiser, Southers said.

During the warmer months when he’s not on duty as a school resource officer, Southers has also enforced speed limits while on his bike in residential areas in which there have been speeding complaints.

Officers have to complete special training, with standards provided through the International Police Mountain Bike Association, said Leland Kelly, another school resource officer trained for the bike patrol.

The training takes 40 hours over one week, and the cost of the course is $295, Mcafee said.

The department’s newest officer, Jake Steinbrueck, said he learned during his training how to use his bike as a physical barrier between himself and danger. He also learned how to pedal up and down stairs, he said.

Southers said some of the most useful skills he learned while undergoing bike training were the ability to ride through a crowd and to dismount a bike while it’s still moving to apprehend a suspect.

Sometimes the rewards of bike patrol have the most to do with human interaction.

Officer Lucas Burr said he has spent about a year on bike patrol and most enjoys the community interaction.

“It’s a lot more than just your hand out the (cruiser) window, waving,” he said.