At a Half-Step, Forward…

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by Michael Wear, PCI #516T/EMSCI #059T
Metropolitan (DC) Police (retired)
IPMBA Vice President

Photo: Bike Portland, 2011

The public safety bicycle has a long history and is amazingly applicable to current societal problems. The ways in which public safety bicycles are used is affected by the commands which they serve, the members and teams that utilize them, and the view of the community in which the bicycles are deployed. The method of deployment varies dramatically from team to team, department to department, city to city, state to state and even country to country.

That said, each instance of public safety bicycle use displays its incredible functional versatility and the way it offers several options for deployment in direct support of a given situation and response area. Many communities have experienced a positive impact, which is based on the individual or group method of deployment.

The world has changed rapidly in 2020, and the question that we all must face is “What will I do?” Simple enough; stop and think about the question as it relates to your life. Your mind may have gone in many directions. What will I do to protect my family from the current health crisis? What will I do if the protest is against my beliefs? What will I do to ensure I have an income and can pay my bills? Yes, the world is changing for all.

To focus on public safety cycling, narrow the question to, “What can I do to keep riding my bike within my profession?” The political climate has directly impacted everyone serving the public. It is hard to determine the best way to “move”.

One specialty at our disposal is the Bicycle Response Team (BRT), which has many applications and can be deployed in missions ranging from small and peaceful to large and antagonistic. Public safety agencies must determine what use of the team will elicit the most positive response from the community yet still fulfill the mission.

In years past, the Bicycle Response Team was generally viewed in a positive light. In our bike uniforms rather than riot gear, we were more approachable and able to interact easily with crowds, often defusing any potential outbreaks. We were viewed in light of the Metropolitan Police Department’s slogan, “We are Here to Help”. However, societal reaction has been transformed, and the mere presence of uniformed public safety officials elicits a negative response. Simply using a bicycle in a public safety context may in and of itself be considered offensive. Many of us have observed even some of our industry partners’ negative reactions towards public safety personnel. Listen not to quick retorts, surprising changes to policy, and even denial of assistance for support; instead, view the challenge as an obstacle for us to overcome.

“Fuji said seeing its bicycles deployed in this manner during the George Floyd protests went against their intended use” (Long, 2020).

“As of this week, the League of American Bicyclists has officially and permanently removed ‘Enforcement’ as one of the pillars of the Bicycle Friendly America program’s ‘5 E’ framework.” (League of American Bicyclists, 2020).

There is much to say, opinions to offer, and for the public safety servant to endure within the emotional context in response to each of these statements. No doubt they will affect your plans with respect to how to continue the use of bicycles for public safety.

The media appears to be focused most directly on police as they relate to social justice. However, because EMS and security are sometimes integrated with police, sometimes on Bicycle Response Teams, they, too, are sometimes subjected to harsh responses from the public. We are truly all in it together.

Early this year, prior to many of the major protest events throughout the country, the Pacific Northwest Public Order Seminar was held outside of Seattle to discuss the changing climate and to share information related to public order. This was one of the first – or perhaps the first – meeting of its kind. Participants were there to present, share, and discuss the best actions and reactions for those tasked with public order.

Lieutenant James Dyment of the Seattle Police Department presented on the use of bicycles. He offered outstanding information related to continuing need for bicycles within public order and specific training for Bicycle Response Team members. As one of the driving forces behind the seminar, his information was acknowledged to be vital to future operations.

The event addressed many aspects of public order and emphasized that the all professions involved must work together, share ideas, and meet on a regular basis to focus on positive solutions to operational needs. This message is an important ingredient as you prepare your strategy for the continued the use of bicycles.

To attempt to summarize the seminar would be an injustice; instead I am highlighting a few issues. The overarching message was the need to continue sharing information. As the leader within public safety cycling, IPMBA encourages the expansion of bicycle use for public safety, including public order, and will continue to set the standards for Bicycle Response Team training and operations and engage our members in the process.

Some of the topics addressed during the PNC Order Seminar are as follows.

Police authority
Availability of staffing
Indemnification of assisting teams
Compatible basic training programs
Liability support for litigation/insurance
Determining the needs to conduct the operation:
- Whom do you need to utilize?
- What equipment will be needed?
- What are the anticipated actions/reactions?
Safety of all participants
The development of communication teams
Incident Command System (ICS) considerations

These are only a snapshot of what the public safety sector is facing. BRTs play a major role, but as we have seen, there is more to the answer. Given the information at hand, we must determine the best line of travel, keep pedaling over each obstacle, train for the unknown, and share our knowledge.

One crucial subject that was not discussed at the seminar, mostly because it had not evolved to a point of easy recognition, but needs to be acknowledged, is the emphasis on who and what is being protested. There has been a “swinging of the pendulum”. Over the past decade, protesters have been building momentum in their methods and expanding their targets at First Amendment events. Whereas the role of the “protester” is long established, the role of “counter protester” has only recently emerged. This has placed public safety personnel in between two groups; “pro” on one side and “counter” on the other. Public order teams are tasked with moving between the groups to maintain order; a two-sided battle, but the job is clear: ensure the First Amendment rights for all.

IPMBA BRT model continues to evolve, with the goal of devising techniques and strategies to quell the violence, keep the peace, and maintain public order.

This year the pendulum swung to the other side, not to the right or the left, but to the keepers of order. This has created a more urgent need to identify and understand who, what, and why participants are motivated to express their messages. The task is to protect First Amendment rights and prevent events from escalating to violent outcomes. The glaring problem is that currently, those tasked with keeping public order are now frequently the target of the demonstration. Public safety personnel must continue to educate themselves and develop new, more productive responses to the ancient problem of inequality. Public safety cyclists have helped bridge the gap to the public, yet the bicycle, which has helped forge bonds, has evolved into a new symbol, one of disparity.

As you work to deploy your unit, team, and agency responses in order to keep riding, focus on the important role of service and believe the majority will and do support the public safety professionals who serve their communities.

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” — Socrates

Works Cited:

Long, Jonny. “Fuji Bikes suspend sale of American police bikes used in ‘violent tactics’ during protests as Trek faces criticism”. Cycling Weekly, June 6, 2020.

Neptune, Amanda. Pedaling Toward a More Just BFA Program: Removing “Enforcement” from our Framework. League of American Bicyclists, October 5, 2020.

Mike retired in as a sergeant after 28 years with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington DC. He was one of the first members of the MPD Mountain Bike Unit in 1992 and was on the first Civil Disturbance Squad on July 4, 1995. In 1997, he became the first city-wide mountain bike coordinator and training supervisor. He discovered IPMBA in 1998 and has been a dedicated member ever since. He was certified as an IPMBA Instructor in 2001 and an Instructor Trainer in 2008. He is one of the primary authors of the IPMBA Bicycle Response Team Training (BRTT) curriculum and is currently serving as Vice President on the IPMBA Board. His motto is, "Ride Hard, Ride Safe, and Thanks for Coming Out!” He can be reached at sgtwear@msn.com.

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