Conference noted::bicycle

1327.0. "Boston gets Bike Cops" by TALLIS::JBELL (Personna Au Gratin) Tue Oct 03 1989 14:14

  This is copied without permission from the Boston Cyclist,
  newsletter of the Boston Area Bicycle Coallition.

        Plans are underway by the Metropolitan Police to put
    25 policemen on bikes.  Don Simonson of the Metro Police
    is setting up the program.  He says there will be 20 uniformed
    and five undercover policemen patrolling Metropolitan District
    Commision (MDC) properties by early spring of 1990.  In addition
    to the Charles River bike path, the police could patrol the
    MDC's beaches, the Middlesex Fells, and the Southwest Corridor
    Linear Park (where there have recently been several muggings).

        The Boston Globe weighted in editorially on August 29,
    citing the bicycle's cost-effectiveness, cheap maintainence,
    unobtrusiveness, and lack of polution -- the same reason many
    BABC members would cite for their bicycle use.  The Globe also
    recommened that the Boston Police Department use bicycles to
    patrol the Common and downtown area, where they could not only
    enforce traffic regulations against bicyclists and pedestrians,
    but present a positive image of bicyclists.

  Sounds good to me, except they should enforce the traffic regulations
  for cars too.

  -Jeff Bell

    Colorado Springs and Denver set up  this type of program starting this
    summer.  It has been very successful.  Generally they are used in the
    downtown areas and parks near downtown.  They have been very successful
    in 'sneaking up' on potential robberies and break-ins.