Shenandoah police to add bicycle to its vehicle fleet
BY JOHN E. USALIS (STAFF WRITER, REPUBLICANHERALD.COM)
Published: May 21, 2014
SHENANDOAH - The borough police department will have a two-wheel form of transportation in the near future with the purchase of a police bicycle.
During Monday's meeting, the borough council approved the purchase of one police bike at the request of Mayor Andrew Szczyglak. Council President Donald E. Segal explained the options available.
"I have information from policebikes.com. They go as high as $729 and as low as $569.99," Segal said. "The one for $569 includes the starter package, which has lights, helmet and bag."
"I recommending that council purchases one bike for $569.99," Szczyglak said.
The motion was made by Leo Pietkiewicz and seconded by Brian Conroy. The vote was unanimous.
While there was no discussion at the time of the vote on the bicycle purchase, the subject was raised during the public portion at the beginning of the meeting.
Under the direction of police Chief George Carado and Szczyglak, borough police conduct walking patrols in the downtown district to show a law enforcement presence, and the bicycle patrol will add to that presence.
"They've been walking," Szczyglak said, answering a question from resident Eileen Burke about foot patrol. "You can ask any business owner in the borough about the amount of police presence. I have seen my officers out at night, and I will make it a point to have extra officers out in the daytime."
Szczyglak said the cost of the bicycle will come from salaries donated back to the borough.
"Yes, we are getting bikes, but it is through the generosity of our councilmen and members of our sewer authority who are donating their checks back to the borough," Szczyglak said. "So it is no expense incurred by the borough."
Resident Marlena Buhl expressed her concern for the safety of police officers riding bicycles.
"Aren't they going to be in more danger riding a bike and chasing a criminal than walking?" Buhl asked. "What if they are knocked off the bike or hit by a car? Aren't we putting them more at risk?"
Borough solicitor Joseph Nahas said he does not believe an officer will be in more danger on a bicycle any more than a police officer who rides a horse in Philadelphia or New York.
"When an officer is on a bike or walking or in a patrol vehicle, he faces the same amount of danger," Nahas said. "He may be safer in a car for some things, but he certainly can go around a sidewalk or go through yards quicker on a bike. Riding a bike will preclude him from doing some things. Walking will preclude him from doing certain things."
Buhl said other expenses are the helmets, pads and other safety items. Szczyglak said that those items are factored in to the purchase price.
"Will the insurance be going to go up with the cops being on a bike?" Buhl asked, to which Szczyglak said it would not.
"That's already been looked into already," Szczyglak said.
"The officers have volunteered that they really want to do this," Segal said. "It's going to be a big help to the community. It's easier to come upon a criminal on a bike sometime. Summertime is coming and there will be a lot of activity. It's a help as a deterrent of crime."
"This all came about because we had three officers who came to council and said they would like to do this," Szczyglak said. "They said they would have easy access to get where they needed to go quickly, and it would show their presence on the streets."