IPMBA’s International Flair

The international contingent in attendance at the IPMBA Conference was a little more prominent than usual, especially among the instructors.  Bill Levitt of Mocean was asked about embroidering country flags on the shirts, and true to form, he did...

Industry & IPMBA

The exhibit hall continues to be a highlight of the annual IPMBA Conference.  It is the only event that offers bike personnel the opportunity to compare products side-by-side, test ride the various bikes on offer, and converse with the...

2007 IPMBA Conference Vendors and Supporters

Many thanks to the vendors and other supporters without whom the IPMBA conference would seem incomplete.  Please show your gratitude to these companies by thinking of them first when you are shopping for bikes, uniforms, and anything else for...

Competition 2007:  Challenging and Innovative

by Kurt Feavel, PCI #529 University of Wisconsin at Madison (WI) PD IPMBA Board of Directors Challenging and innovative were the first words that came to mind as I walked the competition course for the 17th Annual IPMBA Conference. The weather...

Bicycle Cars vs Car Patrols

by Chris Menton, Associate Professor Roger Williams University How do police bicycle patrols compare with police motor patrols? In this study, both were observed under similar conditions in five cities with populations of more than 100,000. All contact the police officers...

EMS Bikes on the Bayou

BY JOHN ERICH, EMS World, March 1, 2007 If the citizens of East Baton Rouge Parish, LA, are feeling grateful for the fast, flexible protection their local EMS bike team provides at their special events, they can thank Pope John Paul II....

London International Cycle Show 2006

by Matt Langridge, PCI# 869 Thames Valley Police (UK) 6th to 8th October saw the 2006 version of the annual Cycle Show, once again held at the ExCel Centre in Docklands, London. My crewmate Mark Jenkins and I were invited to attend...

Interbike 2006: What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas

By Ron Burkitt, PCI #488 Hilliard (OH) Police Department IPMBA Industry Liaison That’s the theme for the city that hosted the 2006 Interbike Trade Show.  Fortunately, for the members of IPMBA, what happened at Interbike this year will not...

The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of Bicycle Police

This is an excerpt from a paper written by Ross D. Petty, Babson College, in 2006.  Download the full paper.    Introduction The concept of police patrolling originated in England in 1818, after private rewards failed to deter crime and...

Training and Liability Issues for Bike Patrol

By Rich Bahret Bicycles are the ultimate vehicles for stealthy patrol. Bike officers are able to smell and hear things folks in cruisers can only dream of. Bikes are able to get down back alleys, trails and other places inaccessible...