Charlottesville Police Putting More Officers on Bikes

By Chris Stover, Newsplex.com, Oct. 28. 2013

Charlottesville Police are putting the wheels in motion to add more bike officers to the streets.

The department is dedicating six officers on bicycles to West Main Street, all in advance of new hotels and apartment complexes going up in the area.

The officers have recently graduated from a week-long bike training academy.

They say using bikes aren't only a greener option than patrol cars, but also allow for more flexibility. "We can go places that cars can't. We're much more nimble," said Officer Alex Bruner. "Obviously, [you have] the environmental benefits of not driving a car around. Yet we can cover much more distance and a larger area than if we were walking around."

The bicycle officers will hit West Main Street over the coming weeks. The department plans to add more officers as the population grows in that part of the city.

Watch the video.  

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