POLICE GEAR UP FOR BIKE PATROLS

Much to the chagrin of pot-smoking teenagers and adults, Aurora Community
Policing Officer Paul Lindley and his partner, Officer Clark Johnson, logged
1,000 miles in bicycle patrols on the far east side of Aurora last year.

"We get a lot of marijuana off the bikes," Lindley said. "They have areas
where they hide. We are more accessible to them than the patrol cars. We use
our senses--sight and smell--to get them."

One evening, Lindley and Johnson sneaked up on a group of young people who
were drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana. Within five minutes, they had
made 32 arrests on charges of underage drinking, marijuana possession and
drug paraphernalia possession. Two cars were impounded as a result.

The ability to surprise lawbreakers and move quickly in areas not accessible
to police cars are just two advantages of bicycle patrols, Lindley noted
Tuesday at the start of a four-day bicycle patrol certification program.

He was among eight Aurora and two Oswego patrol officers in the program
being taught by Freeport Community Policing Officer Craig Wainman, who has
logged 3 1/2 years patrolling on bicycle during his 10 1/2-year career.

Wainman patrols on bicycle all year round, unless the ground is covered with
snow.

"The only way I'd go back to a squad car is kicking and screaming," Wainman
said.

"This is actually probably the fastest growing trend in policing right now,
the bicycle patrols," Wainman said. "It goes hand in hand with community
policing."

According to the Baltimore-based International Police Mountain Bike
Association, the 7-year-old organization for which Wainman teaches his
certification course, there are 1,200 police bicycle units in the country.

Each unit has an average of nine officers, and some have more than 50.

One of the advantages, the organization notes, is the cost. About 15
officers can be outfitted with police bicycles, which fully equipped cost
about $1,200, for the same cost as an $18,000 squad car.

In Aurora, the number of officers patrolling on bicycles is expected to grow
significantly starting next month.

After the current certification course, about 16 officers will be certified.

Most officers in the past took up bicycle patrols on their own initiative,
but the Aurora department is making a concerted effort to encourage the patrols.

"We're looking to expand the program quite a bit and get the bikes into the
neighborhoods a lot more," said Lt. Greg Anderson of the far east side, or
Area 3, patrol division. "It will be on an as-needed basis, not on a regular
patrol basis, but quite a bit more than in the past."

"It's not going to be limited to any one part of the city," added Sgt. Bob
Hladik of the west side, or Area 1, patrol division. "It's going to be all
areas throughout the city."

Hladik, who is certified in bicycle patrol, noted other advantages of
bicycle patrol, including better interaction with the public, particularly
youngsters.

"The children all have bikes," he said. "They see you on the bike, they want
to come up and talk to you. You establish much better contact with the kids."

"You get to know what's going on in the neighborhoods, not just what people
are calling in," Anderson said.

Hladik said the certification course would help officers improve their
bicycle skills.

On Tuesday, they were learning how to jump curbs, ride up and down stairs
and make emergency stops.

"We are trying to figure out whatever kind of terrain an officer is going to
be on and simulate that," Wainman said.

Although patrolling on bicycle sometimes involves riding fast to apprehend
someone or to pursue a vehicle, much of it involves slow-speed skills, he said.

Wainman said bicycle patrol officers can choose to be highly visible on
bicycles by wearing white, riding a white bicycle and using lights at night.
That way they can interact more with residents.

But they can use the bicycle as a stealth vehicle, riding a black bicycle in
dark clothing with the lights off.

The bicycle also has the advantage of being quiet and unexpected.

In addition to the tactical advantages of bicycle patrolling, there are
benefits for the officers who take part and the departments who employ them,
Wainman said. Studies of bicycle officers show they are in better health and
more satisfied with their jobs, he said.

"The whole community policing thing is guys feel they are making a
difference," he said. "When you are in a squad car, you feel like you are
working against people. When you are on a bicycle, you feel more like you
are working with people."