Sanger Police Department's
Bicycle Unit

Bicycle Patrol

The Sanger Police Department's Bicycle Unit is small but successful. The philosophy of Community Policing is enhanced with the use of Officers on bicycles that are perceived as more accessible to the public. With the proper attitude, these Officers will enhance the bond between the community and the Police Department. Bike patrol is also used in Problem Oriented Policing. Bikes are deployed to various events that have the potential for alcohol abuse or drug activity. This presence serves as a deterrent and has been proven useful. Suspicious persons or suspects who could flee from these areas before the patrol car could get to them now have to deal with officers who can go just about anywhere quickly.

With the implementation of the bicycle patrol, Officers are now able to quickly deploy to any problem area with ease and silence. The bike patrol was designed as an enforcement tool and has proved valuable in this area.

The department's bicycle patrol program has also proven to be an excellent method of policing the High School campus in a cost-effective way and it brings the officer into contact with the students. Our SROs have had fantastic success with the utilization of the bike in our schools.

Needless to say, there are many benefits associated with bicycle patrols. The mobility of the bicycles enables officers to patrol areas more frequently and to move silently in and out of any area. Bike patrols can move through areas of congestion with relative ease compared to police cruisers. Violators on bicycles can be easily pursued regardless of the route they may take. Contact with the community increases with the officer on a bicycle being more approachable than those in automobiles do. The only disadvantage to the bicycle patrol is weather conditions, so patrolling during the winter months is extremely rare.

One of the greatest advantages in using the bicycle is its' "stealth like" characteristics. The bicycle is silent. When people are committing crimes, they keep a keen eye for marked patrol units. Officers on bicycles can pull up to crimes in progress in virtual silence and subsequently go unnoticed. Officers can maneuver between parked vehicles, tight spots, and observe suspicious situations without suspects noticing that the people on bicycles are police officers.

The Sanger Police Department's Bicycle Patrol program provides the City of Sanger with a community- oriented crime prevention tool. While designed to handle specific police related responsibilities, the overall goal of this program is to facilitate a partnership between the Sanger Police Department and the community. The primary objectives of this program include crime prevention, patrol of residential, business and park areas, promote bicycle safety, assist with special events and foster police community relations.