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Sturgis Police Department Bike Patrol Unit
The Bike Patrol Unit quickly enjoyed success as it began its patrols through the local parks, the downtown area as well as the residential neighborhoods. The Bike Patrol was instrumental in reducing the amount of delinquent types of activity in the community. Officers assigned to the unit made pro-active contacts with people they saw while on patrol. The community quickly embraced the program and since 2005 it has been an intricate part of the patrol division. Regular officers as well as reserve officers now serve on the unit as it continues to grow. The department now has four mountain bikes to carry out the assignments of the bike patrol unit. All regular patrol officers are trained and assigned to do their part on the mountain bikes as they work with the reserve officers. There are often as many as four officers patrolling the streets of Sturgis on the mountain bikes, primarily during the busy motorcycle rally. Officers assigned to Bike Patrol perform the same duties as officers assigned to motor patrol. Officers on bikes are assigned patrol beats and answer assigned calls. Bike Patrol Officers are also assigned to work and address specific problems that may arise within the community. Bike Patrol Officers make arrests for offenses ranging from Driving While Under the Influence to Domestic Abuse. The unit is often assigned to various areas of the community to address traffic concerns. They are also assigned to special events such as parades through the city, events in the parks or even surveillance of suspicious activity. As of 2005, the SPD started using the bike patrol for the annual motorcycle rally. The bikes proved to be a huge success, making their way through the crowded community streets. Creating and maintaining a successful police bike patrol takes more than just officers and bikes. A police bike program involves not only providing officers with the proper bike and training for varying conditions of activity, traffic, and weather, but also bike racks on vehicles, special lighting equipment for night patrol, repairs and routine maintenance on the bike fleet, special equipment and uniforms for the officers to bike in all seasonal/weather conditions, and more. The costs to start and maintain a strong bike program are substantial; however, the investment returns great dividends. It is our belief that by incorporating mobility, visibility, interaction and proactive law enforcement techniques a bicycle patrol officer can positively affect the everyday workings of a police department and its impact on the community.
The Advantages to Officers on Bikes are: ●Bike officers can travel faster and farther than foot officers and they are able to patrol areas unreachable by car. ●Because they are soundless, officers on bikes can ride right up to the scene of a crime before they are noticed. ●Bicycles are a great public relations tool - an officer on a bike is much more approachable than one in a patrol car. ●Bike officers also have the ability to better enforce bicycle laws, monitor road conditions for bicyclists, promote bike safety, encourage crime prevention practices and promote officer fitness.
Police on Bikes
The bike officers at the Sturgis Police Department encourage all bike riders, young and old, to ALWAYS WEAR YOUR HELMET. Accidents happen very quickly. If you would like more information on the bike patrol unit or you would like to become a reserve, Contact the Sturgis Police Department at (605) 347-5070 |
The
Sturgis Police Department Bike Patrol Unit was started in 2005 with the purchase
of two mountain bikes. Chief Jim Bush wanted to make his officers more visible
and accessible to the public and implemented the program with the assistance of
Sturgis Police Officers. 
