POLICE DEPARTMENT

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Bicycle Patrol

Formed in the early nineties, the Shorewood Police Department bicycle patrol has grown considerably in the years since its conception. In the beginning, officers were required to purchase their own uniforms and bicycles if they wished to participate. They received little training and confined their activities to parades and other special events.

Today, the bike patrol is an important part of Chief Puleo's Community Oriented Policing Program. In support of the unit, the department, along with the COPS organization, has purchased four 21 speed specially outfitted mountain bikes as well as uniforms, equipment and cold weather gear. Officers attend a forty-hour training class where they receive instruction in aggressive riding, police bike techniques, and safety and equipment maintenance.

Weather permitting, the officers ride anywhere from two to four hours daily as part of their regular shifts. Our focus is on public safety, crime prevention, and interaction with the citizens and business owners in our community. Officers spend the majority of their time riding through neighborhoods, shopping plazas, and parks. Patrolling on bikes allow the officers to closely interact with the community as well as getting into places they would not be able to with a squad car. The low profile of the bikes gives officers an element of stealth, allowing them to ride up on things not normally approachable.