Atlantic City police get donation of 10 electric bikes for patrols
By Michelle Brunetti Post, The Press of Atlantic City, December 13, 2022
Photo: Atlantic City police Chief James Sarkos tries out a new electric bike Monday at the Public Safety Building in Atlantic City. Michelle Brunetti Post
ATLANTIC CITY — Police officers will soon be zipping around town on electric bikes, due to a donation of nine of the zero-emission vehicles by the Ocean Wind 1 offshore wind farm and one from retailer Pedego, of Ocean City.
”Any tool that can help us better connect with residents and serve the needs of the city, I’m open to,” police Chief James Sarkos said Monday after receiving the bikes at the Public Safety Building. “I envision the bikes will be used within the community, on the Boardwalk, on the beach and anywhere greater accessibility is needed.”
Mayor Marty Small Sr. said the electric bikes will help with the city's Clean and Safe initiative.
Sarkos has said one of his goals is to increase the visibility of police officers in the city, especially in midtown areas that have a problem with vagrancy and panhandling, such as on Atlantic Avenue near Renaissance Plaza.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City co-owners Joseph R. Jingoli Jr. and Jack Morris brought the idea for the donation to Ocean Wind 1 following a conversation with Sarkos, according to parent company Ørsted.
Ocean Wind 1 is a 1,110 megawatt offshore wind project by Ørsted and PSEG that will provide enough energy to power 500,000 New Jersey homes, according to Ørsted.
“We salute the work of the members of the Atlantic City Police Department,” said Maddy Urbish, head of Ørsted's government affairs and market strategy for New Jersey. She said the company was proud to provide a clean energy transportation option to police.
In addition to the Ocean Wind 1 farm, Ørsted is building an operations and maintenance facility in Atlantic City.
Partnerships between the public and private sectors are made possible through the Atlantic City Police Foundation, Sarkos said. The foundation raises money to purchase equipment not supported in the municipal budget, and supports various community policing and anti-violence initiatives of the Police Department, Police Athletic League and the Police Explorers.