Did you know the Williamsport Bureau of Police has a bike unit?

Bikes have been part of community policing in the city for more than 20 years, but over time they were used less and less as the equipment became old, broken down, and unsafe to use. As policing has evolved, community policing has shifted from being a standalone approach to something that's now part of everyday policing across the department rather than a separate assignment. Today, bikes aren't limited to community policing alone but are used in a variety of patrol and enforcement efforts throughout the city.

Over the past few years, we’ve been working to bring bikes back to our department and build a bike unit because we know how important it is for officers to get out of the patrol car and interact with the community in a more personal way. With the help of grant funding, we were able to purchase new bikes, helmets, and updated equipment, including both traditional pedal bikes and electric assist bikes.

In case you were wondering, yes, we still have to pedal the electric assist bikes. They don't have a throttle and they won't go anywhere unless we pedal. The motor just gives us a little extra help on hills and long patrols. Trust us, there's still plenty of exercise involved.

Our officers genuinely enjoy bike patrol because it's a fun way to be more approachable, spend time outside, and connect with people in neighborhoods in a way that's harder to do from inside a vehicle.

One thing we occasionally hear is: “I have never seen officers on bikes.”

That's understandable. While we'd love to have a full-time bike unit out every day, the reality is we have staffing limitations and officers who also serve in many other specialized roles throughout the department. Bike patrol is just one of the many responsibilities our officers balance.

Now that the weather is getting nicer and we're finally putting another long winter behind us, you'll continue seeing our bike officers at community events, neighborhood patrols, and throughout the city at different times of the day and night. In fact, many of you already have, and we truly appreciate the positive feedback and conversations when you stop us to say hello.

We're hopeful that building the bike unit is another step toward strengthening connections with the community and increasing visibility in a positive way.

Stay tuned for more Behind the Badge: Insights into Policing, where we highlight the work our officers do every day, answer common questions, address misconceptions, and give the community a better understanding of how modern policing actually works.