They probably will not be seen riding no-handed or doing wheelies, but they will definitely be more of them to be seen.
This summer, the police department’s bicycle patrol will grow from last summer’s two-officer pilot program to 12 officers, who will patrol in pairs.
Four will be assigned to the Riverwalk and eight will be available for general patrol in congested areas such as shopping centers or in targeted crime areas, said Capt. Robert Marshall, patrol division commander.
And according to Officer Kevin O’Connell, having his foot on a bike pedal instead of a gas pedal has several advantages.
“It’s better than on foot and can be more effective than in cars,”said O’Connell, who again will be a member of the Riverwalk patrol.
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Each officer will have a black, 21-speed Schwinn S95 mountain bicycle with two high-powered headlights and a bike carrier for their squad cars.
“You can cover the area quicker and more easily (than on foot),” O’Connell said. “You’re extremely silent on a bike. You hear things on a bike that you’re not going to hear in the squad car. A patrol car is going to attract a lot of attention, but a bike can go through an area silently.”
Losing the protective steel surroundings of a squad car is OK with him.
“After the training we went through, I feel as comfortable on a bike as I would patrolling in a car,” he said.
“People see us as bike riders,” he said. “They don’t see us as police officers until they can read the letters on our shirt and by that time . . . it’s too late.”
Each officer has completed a 32-hour training course taught by police cyclist instructor Patrol Officer Dwayne Killian of the Joliet Police Department. About a dozen officers will be added this year to Joliet’s 15-member, 3-year-old patrol, he said.
“We teach them proper riding techniques, how to go over parking blocks, up stairs, down stairs, how to stop suspects and vehicles, things you should look for and be aware of, and getting to know the area where you work,” Killian said.