Redding Police’s new Bike Team: a unique spin on policing
by Sam Chimenti, KRCR ABC 7, Thursday, September 22nd 2022
Watch the video: https://krcrtv.com/news/local/redding-polices-new-bike-team-a-unique-spin-on-policing
Photo: While they will shortly add more members, RPD's new Bike Team is currently just two-strong (KRCR)]
REDDING, Calif. — Redding Police's new Bike Team should really be rolling by the end of 2022—pun intended, of course.
More members are on the way. But, for now, the team consists of just two officers: Ryan Frank and Chad Gross. As small as their team might be, Frank and Gross are an integral part of the Redding Police Department's (RPD) growing Neighborhood Police Unit (NPU).
With flexible hours and different capabilities, Officer Frank and Officer Gross see their patrols as uniquely beneficial.
Officers Frank and Gross make contact with a man on parole, parked illegally in Lake Redding Park (KRCR)
"I think the ability to be on a bicycle, it’s not something your average criminal is used to," said Officer Frank, who came to the RPD from Tehama County over two years ago. "An officer rolling up on a bicycle, you know, you sometimes can take guys by surprise if they’re up to criminal activity. And also, the fact that it’s difficult to patrol some of our parks and river trails in a police car."
Flexible. That’s how Frank and Gross described their job. Being on two wheels allows them to be far more engaged with the public.
"We get to have that interaction with people that normally wouldn’t see a police officer, other than driving by in a police car," explained Officer Gross, who's been with RPD for over seven years. "On a bike, whether we're downtown, on the River Trail, at a park, we actually stop and we get to talk to a lot more people; it's not just related to a call."
Trust is being established, and Frank and Gross hope their presence in public spaces (i.e. the river trail) will give people some peace of mind.
"When we’re riding by and we see Moms pushing kids in a stroller, going for their morning or afternoon jog, I think it gives them a sense of relief that there are people out there," said Officer Gross.
Two more officers will likely be added to the Bike Team this winter—additions that excite Gross and Frank for the future.
"We’re getting a lot of lateral officers because they want to come work in this city; they have pride in this city, and they have pride in this department and what our department's vision is for the future," Officer Frank said.
"It’s not just us, it’s RPD in general (that’s) coming together and we all have the same mission in mind: to clean things up," Frank concluded.