Statement from IPMBA on the Use of Bicycles in Public Safety

June 12, 2020

The following statement may be attributed to the Board of Directors of the International Police Mountain Bike Association (IPMBA): 

The death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers has understandably sparked anger and indignation across the United States and around the world.  As a result, protests and demonstrations have taken place throughout every state in the nation and beyond its borders. While many campaigns have remained nonviolent, a number of peaceful protests have devolved into violent affairs. The safety of the public at all rallies, regardless of size or purpose, is of utmost importance to law enforcement personnel and the communities they serve.  In many of these situations, Bicycle Response Teams are part of the effort to maintain public order for the safety of all present, including participants, onlookers, residents, and business owners. 

As a leading trainer of public safety personnel on bikes, IPMBA recognizes the importance of developing and disseminating bicycle skills and tactics in a safe and positive manner. The goal of the IPMBA Bicycle Response Team Training is to teach experienced public safety cyclists the movements and maneuvers designed to manage all types of crowds, including those at sports and entertainment venues, recreational events, fairs and festivals, and First Amendment gatherings, not specifically those involving civil unrest. The training focuses on ways to integrate bicycles into public order operations with the goal of maintaining safety and order, and in the case of protests, allowing for the exercise of free speech while helping prevent bodily harm and property damage.  It also emphasizes the importance of maintaining group and individual discipline and professionalism while focusing on safety. 

Nowhere in the IPMBA curriculum are officers taught to use their bicycles as weapons.  Rather, IPMBA stresses the usefulness of bicycles as mobile barricades and tools to help keep protesters moving along their designated routes, protecting them from traffic, preventing property destruction, and defending those who are at risk of being or have been victimized by members of the crowd. Police cyclists are also able to interact with protesters in a positive manner, which is one of the benefits of having officers on bicycles in many situations.  

In keeping with our mission statement, IPMBA continuously monitors and adapts our curriculum to adhere to industry best practices and to meet the ever-changing demands placed on public safety professionals. Thousands of officers currently use bicycles to patrol their communities in a more personal way than a motor vehicle can afford, and the vast majority of the time, bicycles have a positive impact on police-community relations. Due to these incredibly positive interactions with their communities, we truly believe that bike officers will play an important role in the healing process to follow.  

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