Dec 10, 2023

Troy PD adds electric bikes to its fleet

You may not seem them here on the outskirts of the City of Troy, but don't be surprised if you see several members of the Troy Police Department patrolling on bicycles elsewhere as you travel through the city.

The Troy Police Department has added a pair of Recon Interceptor electric bicycles to its fleet of vehicles, thereby removing barriers preventing community access to officers while maintaining their ability to respond quickly to emergencies. 

“Our families have asked for more community policing as a way to foster better relationships with the officers serving their neighborhoods, and these new e-bikes will help us meet that goal of increasing interactions and partnership while maintaining our force’s ability to respond quickly in an emergency,” said Mayor Pat Madden. “This will make it easier for officers and residents to have more personal interactions in neighborhoods across the city.” 

The intent of the department’s bicycle program is to equip officers to reach locations that are difficult to access by other means while also breaking down the physical barriers that a motor vehicle creates between officers and the community they serve. The electric bicycles will, says Madden, improve officers’ ability to access neighborhoods and areas that are harder to navigate to on a traditional bicycle, including Troy’s many hills. 

All bicycle-trained officers will be able to utilize the new e-bikes once a brief familiarization training is completed. 

Says Chief of Police Daniel DeWolf, “The addition of e-bikes to our toolbox for community engagement makes good sense. These bikes allow our officers to get closer and more approachable to the community while also providing an additional layer of safety and security for our neighborhoods and parks.” 

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