Hattiesburg certifying new officers for bicycle patrol
Wednesday, April 4th 2018, 7:19 pm CDT by Charles Herrington, WDAM
The Hattiesburg Police Department is training 16 new officers to patrol city streets on bicycles. (Photo source: WDAM.)
HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) - The Hattiesburg Police Department is about to add 16 new officers to its bicycle patrol.
The officers are going through a four-day, 32-hour certification course at the Bobby Chain Airport, which wraps up Thursday.
They will join one dozen other officers who are already certified and are patrolling neighborhoods and large public gatherings on two wheels.
"They're taught to maneuver in those situations, especially in heavy crowds, such as Hubfest or in major events downtown," said Ryan Moore, public information officer for the Hattiesburg Police Department. "That's actually what they're working on, in close spaces, in close turns, it's not about speed; it is about slow and in control."
The bike certification course is the first offered by the Hattiesburg Police Department in two years.