The Indiana Department of Transportation said U.S. 24 closed four miles west of Fort Wayne.Bicycle patrol is more than just riding.
It’s about stamina, eating right and teamwork, local officers involved in this line of police work say.
Twenty city officers took part in a four-day patrol certification course this week, learning those concepts and more. During each 8-hour day, officers rode 20 to 25 miles at a time on the department’s mountain bikes, said Officer Josh Hartup, a certified bicycle patrol instructor through the Law Enforcement Bicycle Association.
Although the bicycle patrol is used in neighborhoods, it’s also helpful for special event surveillance, including at the upcoming Three Rivers Festival and Johnny Appleseed Festival and at Fort Wayne TinCaps games.
Officers on bicycle patrol don’t don’t deal with traffic accidents and can’t transport prisoners to jail but can help on nearly every other type of call, said Sgt. Mark Dolezal, who oversees the bicycle patrol.
When vehicle traffic is heavy, bicycles can maneuver quicker and respond faster to a call than a patrol car, he added.
Officers on bicycles are more approachable and bicycle patrols are especially effective in higher-crime areas and areas prone to drug dealing, Dolezal said.
“They are going to be looking for squad cars,” he said of criminals. “They are not going to expect bicycles.”
The culmination of the training was a riding-tactics exercise and a written test Thursday. During the riding exercise at the Southwest Conservation Club on Bluffton Road, officers rode about a half-mile through an obstacle course, hopped off their bikes and ran several dozen yards toward a shooting target.
“Stay with your partner!” Hartup yelled at two officers as the gap between them widened.
Part of the training deals with teamwork – bicycle patrol officers never ride alone.
When both officers arrived at the target, they each fired their department-issued Glock 9 mm handguns at a dozen balloons.
After the balloons are deflated, the exercise is complete.
“It’s just like practicing a scene – you have to learn to relax yourself, breathe and think clearly,” said Officer Will Savage, a two-year member of the force who took part in the training.
“They’re exerting themselves like they would on the streets with patrol,” Hartup said. “Basically, they are racing against time. We’re trying to give them an idea of what it’s like to engage with a target … after riding hard.”
Thursday’s exercise followed a week of riding up and down stairs, learning about bicycle maintenance and proper gear shifting, and even education on eating right and keeping hydrated during long rides.
During a normal 8-hour shift on bicycle patrol, officers could ride from 10 to 30 miles, said Hartup, who has been in charge of training since 2004.
“I knew it would be a great workout initially,” said Officer Daniel Amos, who said he heard about the class from colleagues.
Amos also said he expects to interact more with the public with the bicycle patrol – which is less of a barrier than a squad car.
Special assignments, such as festival patrols, are assigned by a bidding process.
“It’s just an extra thing you can do,” Officer Robert Hollo said, adding that he plans to bid on those events once certified.
The Fort Wayne police bicycle patrol began in 1994 with two bikes. Today, the department has 50 mountain bikes, Hartup said.
Bike patrol officers, however, can’t write reports at the scene. They must either return to the police station or their squad cars to do so. Officers also can’t check for warrants on someone from a bicycle.
The Allen County Sheriff’s Department also has a bicycle patrol, consisting of 12 reserve officers who have full police powers.
Those officers patrol in pairs for two to three hours at a time at night, usually in residential areas, according to Officer John Nichter, Allen County police bike patrol team leader.
They also work county events and festivals as requested.
These officers also have to be certified through the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy and sworn in by the sheriff, Nichter said.
“I always liked the community involvement,” said Nichter, who has been on the patrol for three years. “A lot of citizens don’t know there is a bike patrol.”
