Bellevue to put bike cops back on the streets

by RYAN MURRAY, Bellevue Reporter Staff Writer, Mar 31, 2016

For the first time since 2011, the Bellevue Police Department will have a bicycle presence on the streets.

On Friday, April 1, bike patrol officers and a corporal will mount their bikes to patrol Bellevue — the first time that has happened since funding for the Bellevue Police Department's Bike Patrol Team was cut during the recession in 2011.

Bellevue City Council voted to restore the team's funding as part of the mid-biennium budget.

Bellevue Chief of Police Steve Mylett was grateful for the support from the city.

"I would like to thank the Bellevue City Council and our City Manager Brad Miyake for their tremendous display of support in restoring funding for our bicycle patrol unit," he said in a release. "This proactive unit will be a powerful tool in our downtown core as well as our many parks and our bike paths and trails."

Bicycle officers have an advantage over their patrol-car colleagues in parks, trails, waterfront areas, heavy foot traffic areas and events. The mobility provided by the bikes will allow officers to patrol these areas more effectively.

On Friday, two officers and the corporal will get on their bikes. Another two officers will join the team later in the year. Officers have trained on bicycle patrols at training sessions in Seattle.

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