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Smart Columbus provides pedal power for police

by MAUREEN KOCOT, 10TV, August 23, 2018

The Columbus Division of Police boasts one of the largest bicycle units in the entire nation, with 130 to 140 officers trained to fight crime on two wheels.

Smart Columbus is now investing in a half dozen electric bicycles that will help reduce response times and conserve officers' energy so they are better prepared to deal with a situation when they arrive on the scene.

The E-bikes don't do all the work. Police said officers still pedal, but the battery-powered, computerized bikes help with the heavy lifting, so to speak.

Officers demonstrated for 10TV the ease of riding an e-bike uphill in the grass, a feat which would normally zap an officer's energy.

Police say the electric bicycles can cover a variety of terrain and can reach speeds up to 28-miles per hour. Police said the bicycles are also equipped with hydraulic brakes so they can stop on a dime.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said it's a win-win for police and the citizens they protect and serve.

"You get officers to a call for service faster and in better shape to deal with the situation," said Ginther.

In 2016, Columbus was selected as America's Smart City and was awarded 50-million dollars in funding. The Smart Columbus mission, in part, is to encourage the use of electric cars and create more electric charging stations around the city.

"Electric is the wave of the future. It makes our air cleaner. It makes it healthier for us," said Mayor Ginther. "This is America's laboratory for smart cities, right here in the heart of Columbus."

Watch the video:  https://www.10tv.com/article/smart-columbus-provides-pedal-power-police

©2018 by 10TV.com. All rights reserved. 

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