Kent Police will resume bicycle patrols May 1 with special emphasis on the downtown transit center and shopping district.
“Bike patrols allow officers to personally interact with community members as they patrol neighborhood streets and business areas,” said Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas in a city of Kent media release. “Another advantage is they can cover areas that aren’t accessible by patrol cars and have the mobility to approach suspects effectively, or even on some occasions unnoticed.”
The program was put on hiatus last November to make better use of police staffing.
“Putting our bicycle patrol on hold during the winter, when there is less demand for their unique style of patrol, allowed us put more cops on the streets where and when they were needed,” Thomas said.
Scheduled to patrol seven days a week, the bicycle unit will include four officers and a supervisor. Their focus will be to enforce laws and address quality of life issues including personal and property safety around the downtown transit center and local shopping districts. The team will also have a presence at city parks including Town Square Plaza, Kaibara Park and the downtown gazebo.
“While bicycle officers will have a regular presence in our downtown core, we will also be able to deploy them to other hotspots around the city as needed,” Thomas said.
Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke said the bike patrols have proven to be a successful and valuable resource for the police department and the community.
“I’m very happy our police are again providing this valuable service to residents, businesses and visitors,” Cooke said. “It’s just in time for the better weather and increased use of our outdoor spaces.”
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