Many Warsaw residents may have noticed police officers on bike patrol on local parks, greenways and in the downtown area this summer.
Warsaw's Police Bike Patrol Unit is made up of eight specially trained officers, including two school resource officers and DARE officers.
Those eight officers who have been assigned to the bike unit for the summer attended a 32-hour training class taught by the International Police Mountain Bike Association.
The department has specially equipped Trek Police bicycles to allow for rugged use along with the added weight of an officer and his duty equipment. A grant from the Kosciusko Coalition of Drug Education was used to purchase one of the Trek bicycles and three more have been purchased using donations, most notably from Silveus Insurance and Polk Equipment.
The Bike Patrol Unit allows officers to patrol the city parks, greenways and the downtown areas and alleyways where patrol vehicles cannot go.
The presence of the bike patrol serves as a deterrent for delinquent and criminal acts and allows officers to monitor local businesses, streets, alleyways and parking lots for criminal activity such as disorderly conduct, drug use and criminal mischief.
Additionally, the bike allows the officers to patrol neighborhoods with covertness. The program has shown signs of early success with the recent arrest of an individual who was manufacturing of methamphetamine out of his garage.
The Bike Patrol Unit also patrols special events in the city including festivals, downtown events, concerts and school functions.The Warsaw Police Department believes this program is not only a tool to enforce state laws and local ordinances but also for establishing public relations with the officers' ability to easily approach members of the community.
The Bike Patrol Unit typically patrols from May through October. There are plans to increase the number of bikes and officer participation in 2011.
