by Richard Coffin
City police bike patrols are rolling again in North Bay and Callander.
The North Bay Police Service says the officers will be primarily patrolling the downtown core and surrounding neighbourhoods during the warmer months.
Corporate Communications Officer David Wooley says the bikes can access areas of the city that police cruisers can’t.
“They can go down side streets, they can go down alleyways, that sort of thing and be able to deter crime in a more complete capacity than just having a vehicle on patrol,” he says.
Wooley says the bike patrols are an easy way for citizens to engage with police when needed and having officers visible while on patrol helps to deter crimes before they happen.
He also says they build on the work that the four-member Community Response Unit does.
“This is a way to supplement that with a uniformed officer so that people can see that we are out there and know that we are observing and working to prevent crime,” Wooley says.
The Electric Assist Bicycles were donated to the North Bay Police Service last year by Farquhar Chrysler in North Bay.
The e-bikes are fully equipped with police lights and sirens and are able to reach a top speed of 42km/h.
