Erie police to up presence with specialized eastside patrols, expansion of bike patrols
by Tim Hahn, Erie Times-News, April 17, 2023
Photo by Tim Hahn: Erie police Patrolman Max Brozell, seen patrolling Perry Square on May 16, 2022, is part of a police bicycle patrol detail in the city's downtown that is adding a third officer and will cover the central business district daily in 2023.
Erie police recently certified 12 of its officers to perform patrol duties on bicycle, bringing the number of certified bike officers to more than 30 on the bureau.
In addition to utilizing the expanded bike patrol fleet in the eastside patrol program, Police Chief Dan Spizarny said the bureau is adding a third officer to its downtown patrols. The officers ride bicycles during warm-weather months throughout the city's central business district.
The downtown bike officers will now be on duty up to seven days a week, Spizarny said. Having three officers on the detail, and having a number of other certified officers available to fill in when detail members are off work, allows police to have two officers working every day, according to Deputy Chief William Marucci.
"A lot of businesses are still open on the weekends, and there are a lot of people downtown," Spizarny said.
Erie police also plan to put out additional officers on bicycles in the city's downtown and in other areas of the city during periods of good weather or during special events, Marucci said.
"We think that is a good idea. The officers love being on the bicycles," he said.
The Erie Bureau of Police has about 20 pedal bicycles. It will soon add five electric bicycles through a grant obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. State Reps. Pat Harkins, D-1st Dist., and Bob Merski, D-2nd Dist., announced the awarding of the grant earlier this month.
The electric bikes will enable officers to respond to a call much faster and at a greater distance, and the officers won't be as fatigued when arriving at the call, Marucci said.