Bicycle Unit
The Brownsburg Police Department is home to a seven-officer bike unit that was established in the summer of 2008. The Bike Patrol operates eight months of the year, during all shifts, and is capable of riding in almost all weather conditions. As a community policing tool, the Bike Patrol has broken down barriers between residents and police because the officers are very approachable. At the same time, officers enjoy the opportunity to interact with citizens in a positive way. The bicycle patrol benefits the community by returning the police officer to the "beat."
Patrolling on Bikes
Patrolling on a bike gives officers a great deal of mobility and enables them to quickly and efficiently patrol and respond to areas of the community that are inaccessible to police cars or too expansive for foot patrols. Bike officers are not only able to respond quickly to many service calls, they often arrive unnoticed, increasing the likelihood of apprehension.
Equipment
The Bike Patrol uses Trek 24-speed mountain bikes that are specially designed for police work. The frames, brakes, and gears have been expressly designed for high-performance riding and are equipped with high-tech lighting systems that provide excellent illumination while on night patrol. Equipment bags with side pouches provide the ability to carry the needed equipment. Recently the division has added three "specialized" bicycles to go along with the Trek bikes.
Physical Fitness
Officers selected for this patrol must be in excellent health and physical condition and be able to pass a physical and/or physical fitness test. Each year, the officers must display perfection in the following techniques on a course taught by a certified IPMBA cyclist instructor:
- Balancing
- Curb Management
- Hill Management
- Road Safety
- Self-Defense
- Skid Control
- Stair Descent
All officers who complete the course are certified, Police Cyclists.