The Savannah Police Department launched its first official bike patrol unit on Thursday.
Cpl. Joshua Flynn famous that the bikes will enable officers to be “more versatile in patrolling particular crimes such as package thefts, burglaries”. Flynn additionally stated the bikes would assist with investigations.
“It opens us up and allows us to hear, see and engage with people and exchange information that can help with investigations as well as observing things,” Flynn stated. “…bikes aren’t as big of a piece of equipment as the police cruiser itself, so they provide concealment. It provides a bit of stealth, if you want to say that too, especially if we’re deploying at night. “
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“We are excited about this new unit and all the benefits that will come with it,” Savannah Acting Police Chief Gunther stated in a information launch. “This will not only be a benefit to officers, but also to the community as we continue our mission to fight crime and build relationships and trust with our citizens in every neighborhood. This unit will not only help fight crime, but also improve community relations and officer health.
Cpl. Janessa Stalter echoed those sentiments, saying bike patrol makes officers more accessible and improves officer health.
When she policed on her bike or walked around instead of driving, she noticed that “people see you and come out and talk to you.”
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Prior to the formation of the SPD bicycle unit, a few officers had bicycles, which they could incorporate into their daily patrol duties. From now on, the new bicycle unit will operate collectively in areas of the city and will be deployed in specific areas as needed, according to the SPD press release.
“The holidays are approaching and we are already looking at ways to use the bike unit to help with holiday-related crimes like package theft and deploying them to commercial areas of the city to keep shoppers safe” Deputy Chief DeVonn stated Adams. “Going forward, we know this unit will also be especially useful at festivals, parades and other events that can make vehicle navigation difficult.”
Drew Favakeh is the general public security reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can attain him at AFavakeh@savannahnow.com.
This article initially appeared on Savannah Morning News: Big Wheels: Savannah Police Launch First Ever Bike Patrol Unit
