Bike unit another police program revived under Kinney

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Officers to spend time patrolling where cruisers can’t

By KEVIN MCMANUS, The Post, May 26, 2018

Photo courtesy Medina Police: Medina Police’s bike unit is now on patrol in areas of the city where cars can’t reach. Pictured (left to right) are officers Jim Terwilliger, Derek Crooks, Nick MacLaren and Sgt. Pat Sloan.

MEDINA – Chief Ed Kinney continues his makeover of the Medina Police Department by bringing back more previously-axed programing.

For the first time in eight years, a number of officers will split time between patrolling in cruisers and on bicycles, weather permitting. Kinney announced the bike unit’s revival May 11, the week several Medina City Schools buildings were observing Bike to school Week.

“This was another one of my tactical goals coming into this job,” Kinney said. “I wanted to re-establish our footprint within the community.”

The bikes go along with Kinney’s community-relations approach he outlined when he was named to the post in October 2017.

The bike unit is administered by Sgt. Sara Lynn.

“First off, they (bike officers) are more visible and approachable to residents. They’re quieter, can get to areas in parks where cars cannot ... accessibility is 100 percent with bikes,” he said.

Four Medina officers recently underwent a week’s worth of riding training to obtain certification at a special program for area law enforcement at Notre Dame College in South Euclid.

“From what I understand, and I have not been through that bike school, but it is a pretty physically-demanding school,” Kinney said, adding bike-cop requirements, both physical and certifiable, were not as rigorous years ago.

Kinney estimated the four Trek bicycles and training for the four officers cost the department about $6,000.

“The guys are excited to try something different,” Kinney said. “We’re getting a lot of positive feedback.”