Claremore police officers go through special bike patrol training
By Morgan Downing, Fox 23 News, Claremore OK; November 6, 2014
You may never hear them coming, and Claremore police said that’s a big reason why more officers will be on patrol on bicycles.
FOX23 got a look at the training officers are going through to use the specially equipped bikes.
Dozens of orange cones were out Thursday with officers maneuvering their way through them. It’s extensive training but officials said it’s helping to better the department and the city.
“It gives us the element of surprise, definitely,” said Officer Ricky Propst.
They’re quiet, approachable and they turn heads.
“Kids, adults, everybody wants to come up and talk to us,” said Officer Jordan Holland.
Claremore residents will be seeing more bike patrols throughout the day and night soon.
“We’ll be in neighborhoods. We’ll be up and down Main Street and in the Ne-Mar Center,” Holland said.
Holland is a certified bike patrol officer and he’s training his fellow officers so the department can beef up its bike patrol unit.
“It’s been a lot more challenging than I expected,” Propst said.
To become certified, officers must pass a series of tests.
“Anybody can ride a bike fast. It takes somebody trained to ride a bike slow,” Holland said.
Officers are training for all types of terrain.