Evanston’s police force may get a new set of wheels next year.
If the Evanston City Council approves the proposed budget for 2011, police will be using more bicycle patrols to cut down criminal activity and the city’s budget deficit. The city suggested increasing the number of bicycle patrol hours from last year’s 242 to 900 to reduce fuel costs.
About two years ago, the city increased the number of Evanston and University Police bicycle patrol officers to cut costs. The Evanston Police Department’s bike patrol started in the 1990s when an officer decided to ride his bike on the job. The community became so excited upon seeing a bike patrol officer they donated six bicycles to the police department, EPD officer Rick Whitehead said.
“You can get your workout while you’re on the job.” Whitehead said. “You’re out in the fresh air, meeting people. It’s a no-brainer.”
A police cyclist, unlike other cyclists, is a professional comparable to an athlete, said Kirby Beck, experienced police cyclist and police consultant. He helped create the International Police Mountain Bike Association Police Cyclist course and came to Evanston to train police cyclists. They are trained to go on grass, curbs and sidewalks, up and down stairs, and through buildings and crowds, Beck said.
“They need to be able to ride just about anywhere,” Beck said. “The hardcore criminals are far more frightened of bike officers than any other officer.”
UP Sgt. Timothy Reuss said being on bike patrol has allowed him to see more of the campus and made his job much more enjoyable.
“For me it kind of rejuvenated my career,” Reuss said. “It’s more hands-on.”
Reuss established UP’s bike patrols about 15 years ago by persuading police and NU officials that bike patrols could get around campus faster and reduce fuel costs. Using a bicycle also allows officers to sneak up on unsuspecting criminals, Reuss said.
“You’re in a stealth mode,” Reuss said, citing a recent successful pursuit and arrest of a bike thief. “I was on a bike that particular day, and I was able to follow him and corner him. When he realized who I was, he was already under arrest.”
Police cyclists are common on many college campuses because they move around more areas of the campus and are more approachable than when they are in a patrol car, said Ross Petty, a marketing law professor at Babson College who wrote a paper on the history of police cyclists.
“I think most campus police no longer want to be sitting in an office, waiting to get called,” Petty said. “They want to be in the campus and talking to students. That helps them do their job and earn a little respect from students, which means the students are less likely to misbehave.”
While NU Cycling Team President Alexandra Navas has only seen police cyclists once or twice, she said she thinks they are a good idea.
“It’s a new concept for me,” the Medill junior said. “They’re on the same level as the people they’re giving tickets or citations to.”
