Recent violent crimes prompt more police patrols on S. Grand
POSTED 10:15 PM, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016, BY ERIKA TALLAN, Fox 2 News Saint Louis
ST. LOUIS (KTVI) - You'll be seeing more St. Louis police officers patrolling popular business districts on bikes and on foot for the holiday season.
Starting in October, you'll see two cops on bikes riding along South Grand from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and two officers walking the sidewalks from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. It's an effort dubbed, "Operation Love Birds."
The extra eyes aren't just to fight crime, but also to improve relationships between the community and police. They want to keep people safe and keep people coming back to enjoy the shops and restaurants on S. Grand.
"Visibility of the police is a great crime deterrent and also builds bridges and relationships with the public," said Lt. Christi Marks, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
The St. Louis Police Foundation donated the bikes to be used on patrol.