Bike patrol gives police chance to talk with people

by Yosuke Takanashi
Staff Writer

Both the Athens Police Department and the Ohio University Police Department are expanding their bike patrols.

Two OUPD officers were assigned to bike patrol in July, adding to the two officers who patrolled last year. Nine of 24 OUPD officers serve on the bike patrol now.

Lt. Jeff McCall said the APD also might increase its bike officers. Currently, 14 APD officers are on the bike patrol and patrol all day, several days a week.

Officers can deter illegal events and catch subjects easier when they are moving at a slow pace, McCall said.

OUPD Patrolman Tim Woodyard, one of the two new officers, agreed that the bike patrol has some advantages.

"It gives us a good chance to meet students in a way you don't if you are in a car," he said. "(OU's campus) is a perfect environment for bike patrol."

Woodyard said people usually do not look for the bikes if they are breaking a law because a bike is less conspicuous than a vehicle

"That's what we really like to focus on," Woodyard said.

Bike officers have arrested people for underage alcohol consumption, drug-related crimes and trespassing.

"The only difficulty is in a winter time when it gets really cold," he said. "It could be a problem."

Before officers become involved in the bike patrol, they have to go through one week of training.

OUPD officials select bike officers because the department cannot afford to have bikes for everyone, OUPD Lt. Steve Noftz said. A bike costs between $900 and $1,500, and uniforms cost about $1,000 per officer.

"We can cover areas a lot quicker and more repeatedly with the bicycles," he said.

A majority of bike patrol officers prefer a bike to a vehicle because they can reach places easily, even in traffic jams, he said.

Noftz said he wants to add more bike officers to increase the versatility of patrolling.

"We just have a nice exchange with people in the community, and I think it's beneficial for us and them," Noftz said. "There is no barricade between us and people, and they can approach us easily. It's just a more friendly way to patrol."