Two-wheel patrols on the move

By Katie Nichols (Contact) | Selma Times-Journal

Published Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Well over a century ago a man by the name of John Kemp Starley produced a contraption called the “Rover.” In the early 20th century officers began using Starley’s machine to help patrol their jurisdictions. They were much like Selma Police Department’s most recent program to be reinstated – the bike patrol.

Before some officers could hit the streets they had to begin their training.

“When the department was talking about the bike patrol training, I thought about Sgt. Chris Bryant with the Metro Nashville Police,” Lt. David Evans said. “When I was in Nashville receiving training from Northwest University’s Staff and Command School, Sgt. Bryant sat right behind me. I thought it would be easier and make more economical sense to bring Sgt. Bryant to Selma than take the usual route of sending officers to Birmingham for training.”

Bryant began his training, which is through International Police Mountain Bike Association, on Monday for officers James Bevel, Jonathan Fank, Kenta Fulford, Dwight Moorer and Matt Skelton.

The instruction covered everything from improving balance to climbing up and riding down stairs.

“The training we are focusing on is slow speed balancing techniques to allow the bikes to go into tight, confined areas that a patrol car cannot access,” Bryant said. “In the mornings the class rides because it’s cooler and after lunch we have class.”

From Monday until Wednesday the officers have averaged about 10 miles of riding per day. However that is about to change. In the final days of training the officers will be pushed in order to make them ready for patrolling.

The extra physical work doesn’t deter the officers, in fact they all seem pretty excited about participating in the bike patrol.

“I like working on the bike,” Bevel said. “It breaks up the monotony and you can be closer to the community. Plus it is a good work out.”

One of the reasons the Bike Patrol was reinstated is to build community-police relations. The idea is that on a bike police are much more approachable to people and bikes make it easier to have a short, friendly conversation as an officer cruises through the neighborhood.

“We’ve already been getting a lot of waves and people saying hello,” Fulford said. “It really does help with getting out in the community.”

The police department had a Bike Patrol Unit at one point, but it was phased out. However with the 2009 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant awards, Chief of Police William T. Riley III saw an opportunity to start up the program again.

The Selma Police Department received $113,000 that included a boost from the stimulus package.

The money from that grant will pay for the training and equipment for the bike patrol.

“Officers will be taught bicycle safety, maintenance, riding techniques, suspect approach techniques, tactical dismounts, obstacle negotiations, emergency skills and legal issues,” Sgt. Doug Stewart said. “Officers will be required to attend the school for certification.”

The department hopes that as more officers are trained, they will be able to place more police on the streets in the high crime areas.

Benefits of a bike patrol range from cost to public relations. Bikes have very low maintenance and do not require any funds for fuel. Bicycles also can go where cars cannot and they also allow the element of surprise because people cannot hear them approach.

Officers who were already trained have been hitting the pavement and the patrol has shown they deserve their place.

Officers on bikes were in the 1400 block of Eugene Street and saw a man holding something in his hand.

“Once the man saw the officers on the bikes he opened the driver side door and dropped something in the seat,” Stewart said. “The man then sat down on that seat. When officers asked him to step out, they found a white rock-like substance that is believed to be crack cocaine.”

The officers arrested Robert Reese, 60, and charged him with unlawful possession of a controlled substance. He was placed in the Dallas County Jail under a $5,000 bond.

Friday the five officers who have been training will take a written and riding test.

The training and tests come through International Police Mountain Bike Association, which allows for certification and liability protection.

“We look at the bike patrol as another way to help fight crime,” Riley said. “I think it is going to be a great tool and I look forward to getting out even more officers on bikes.”

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