Falmouth Police To Patrol Holiday Weekend Crowds On Bicycles
By NOELLE ANNONEN, Falmouth Enterprise, July 4, 2024
Photo: Sergeants Joshua Oliver and James Cummings pose with the police department’s e-bikes. NOELLE ANNONEN/ENTERPRISE
Falmouth residents and visitors will be able to spot cops on bikes patrolling the town’s most popular spots during the busy holiday weekend.
Using regular bicycles and pedal assist e-bikes that can reach speeds up to 30 miles per hour, police on bike patrols can more easily navigate crowds and interact with the public.
“It’s nice to get the exercise,” Sergeant Joshua Oliver said, standing outside of the police station Tuesday, July 2. “And the bikes give us a chance to have so many good interactions with people.”
Chief Jeffrey A. Lourie reported that the new detachments are a result of the station’s now robust staff levels. Although there are currently three officers out on medical or military leave, the department has only one vacant position to fill before it is fully staffed. Nine officers are currently in the academy and will graduate this month, Chief Lourie said.
The station has a fleet of bicycles, two of which are e-bikes. Sergeant James Cummings said it takes three days to train for a patrolman bicycle certification. Once certified, officers can sign up for the shifts.
As part of the training, officers must complete an obstacle course, which includes traveling down flights of stairs on a bicycle and learning to use the bike as a barricade. The department has had a bicycle officer assigned to Old Silver Beach on summer weekends, Sgt. Cummings said, although those assignments have been less frequent in past years due to chronic short staff levels.
The Fourth of July is a mandatory work day for all of Falmouth’s officers and Chief Lourie said there will be extra patrols out and about. He recalled disruption that occurred last July 4th as large parties of teenagers trashed beaches in Falmouth Heights while consuming large quantities of alcohol. The police assigned to bicycles can help officers respond to incidents in crowded areas like the beaches and the Shining Sea Bikeway.
Chief Lourie and Sgt. Cummings said the bike patrols are stealthier than a typical police cruiser.
“It’s nice to be able to deploy a bicycle because when people that are up to no good see [car] headlights and they’ll duck off into a bush,” Chief Lourie said.
But patrolling cyclists also tend to enjoy a more approachable appearance, they added, since their uniforms are scaled down. An officer on a bike can more easily stop and discuss any issues with visitors and residents. In the past, officers have used the bike assignments for community engagement, even handing out ice cream vouchers to kids wearing their bike helmets.
“We’re there for questions and to be a resource,” Chief Lourie said. “Sometimes when you see somebody that’s maybe not understanding the rules of the road, and if you’re in a cruiser, it can become difficult if somebody’s on a bike to find a place to pull over and do it in a timely manner to get their attention. If you’re on a bike, you’re right there in the element with them.”
Chief Lourie hopes to add more staff to the department in the coming years. Falmouth currently has five sectors it patrols, but he said past studies showed that the force would be more effective with seven, or seven officers out on the road at a particular time. Bringing Falmouth’s budgeted 65 positions up to 78 would help officers handle highly busy times of year, like during the summer. Chief Lourie said with an expanded force, he could staff a K-9 unit, an ATV unit and even a motorcycle.