Shaffer
06-05-05, 08:38 AM
Next time red and blue lights start flashing, Quantico patrons may be surprised at what they see in their rear view mirrors -- a military policeman on a bicycle instead of in a car.
The Quantico Bicycle Special Purpose Team began patrolling the streets May 20. Riders will be on watch seven days a week -- 12 hours on Fridays and Saturdays and 10 hours during the remainder of the week.
“We’ve divided up the base in different patrol zones,” said Sgt. Edward Stepanian, team leader. “And they cover them throughout the day to try to break up different zones at different times so that there isn’t a specific route.”
The bike patrollers are capable of anything the car patrollers are, just at a slower speed.
“They can control speeders in the housing areas with 15 mile-per-hour speed limits. On the bicycle, they can achieve 25-plus (mph) and they have speedometers,” he said. “They can use the pace method; roll up behind the vehicle, follow them for 3/8 of a mile, maintaining the vehicle’s speed. If it is over the speed limit, they can (issue a traffic citation). We are also in the works of getting radar guns to carry with us.”
The military policemen maintain five bicycles, some equipped with code lights and sirens.
Although the primary reason for bringing in the bikes was to supplement the vehicles, many other factors added to the decision.
“There has been a big push in the law enforcement field toward trying to come back to community policing,” he said. “If you look at law enforcement back in the ‘40s and prior, the streets were mostly patrolled with foot beats. Progressively, with the advent of the vehicle, the foot beats went away and the interaction with the community went with it.”
Quantico hopes to bring the community involvement back with the addition of the bike patrolmen.
“It’s a lot harder for somebody rolling by at 25 to 30 miles per hour in an enclosed vehicle to have contact with the community,” said Stepanian. “We get calls from housing about speeders and things disappearing out of their lawns. Even though those may not be major crimes, they affect the morale of the residents. Now we will be able to give them the attention they deserve.”
Two riders will be on patrol at a time, with the ability to use all senses more acutely than in a vehicle.
“It’s an environmental, cost-effective way to supplement (the cars) and also focuses on community policing, something we look to achieve here,” he added.
The military policemen on bike have even more responsibility.
“In addition to augmenting regular patrol by riding bicycles, we will assist with special events,” said Stepanian. “The mission is to also work in close conjunction with the crime prevention unit to document and acknowledge the problem areas that the base might have and come up with creative solutions to handle them.”
The team is trained to handle many different situations. Each member of the Quantico Bicycle Special Purpose Team has undergone intensive training in a standardized five-day police cyclist’s course.
“You learn how to shoot from a bike, how to talk to people on your bike, how to execute pursuits on bike and even how to use your bike as a weapon,” he explained. “You go through a lot of different obstacles they have set up for you. They even teach you how to go up and down stairs on bike. You have to keep your wheel straight and balance yourself. The course is pretty challenging, but you learn a lot.”
With trained cyclists on patrol, Quantico’s streets will stay safe and guarded.
The Quantico Bicycle Special Purpose Team began patrolling the streets May 20. Riders will be on watch seven days a week -- 12 hours on Fridays and Saturdays and 10 hours during the remainder of the week.
“We’ve divided up the base in different patrol zones,” said Sgt. Edward Stepanian, team leader. “And they cover them throughout the day to try to break up different zones at different times so that there isn’t a specific route.”
The bike patrollers are capable of anything the car patrollers are, just at a slower speed.
“They can control speeders in the housing areas with 15 mile-per-hour speed limits. On the bicycle, they can achieve 25-plus (mph) and they have speedometers,” he said. “They can use the pace method; roll up behind the vehicle, follow them for 3/8 of a mile, maintaining the vehicle’s speed. If it is over the speed limit, they can (issue a traffic citation). We are also in the works of getting radar guns to carry with us.”
The military policemen maintain five bicycles, some equipped with code lights and sirens.
Although the primary reason for bringing in the bikes was to supplement the vehicles, many other factors added to the decision.
“There has been a big push in the law enforcement field toward trying to come back to community policing,” he said. “If you look at law enforcement back in the ‘40s and prior, the streets were mostly patrolled with foot beats. Progressively, with the advent of the vehicle, the foot beats went away and the interaction with the community went with it.”
Quantico hopes to bring the community involvement back with the addition of the bike patrolmen.
“It’s a lot harder for somebody rolling by at 25 to 30 miles per hour in an enclosed vehicle to have contact with the community,” said Stepanian. “We get calls from housing about speeders and things disappearing out of their lawns. Even though those may not be major crimes, they affect the morale of the residents. Now we will be able to give them the attention they deserve.”
Two riders will be on patrol at a time, with the ability to use all senses more acutely than in a vehicle.
“It’s an environmental, cost-effective way to supplement (the cars) and also focuses on community policing, something we look to achieve here,” he added.
The military policemen on bike have even more responsibility.
“In addition to augmenting regular patrol by riding bicycles, we will assist with special events,” said Stepanian. “The mission is to also work in close conjunction with the crime prevention unit to document and acknowledge the problem areas that the base might have and come up with creative solutions to handle them.”
The team is trained to handle many different situations. Each member of the Quantico Bicycle Special Purpose Team has undergone intensive training in a standardized five-day police cyclist’s course.
“You learn how to shoot from a bike, how to talk to people on your bike, how to execute pursuits on bike and even how to use your bike as a weapon,” he explained. “You go through a lot of different obstacles they have set up for you. They even teach you how to go up and down stairs on bike. You have to keep your wheel straight and balance yourself. The course is pretty challenging, but you learn a lot.”
With trained cyclists on patrol, Quantico’s streets will stay safe and guarded.