‘Much more agile’: APD increases bicycle patrol in Downtown Abilene, Cedar Creek Waterway
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – The Abilene Police Department (APD) is increasing officer bike patrols along the Cedar Creek Waterway and Downtown Abilene as the weather heats up.
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One of the tools of the trade for most police officers is the standard squad car. However, those vehicles can have difficulty in high traffic and slow speeds in locations like Downtown Abilene and the Cedar Creek Waterway. Lieutenant Joel Harris with the APD Bike Patrol and Mounted Division told KTAB/KRBC modes of transportation such as these are an advantage to officers in these areas.
“They’re much more agile throughout the streets, allies, and are more accessible to the public,” said Lt. Harris. “With all the improvements downtown, and Cypress Street being redone, and all the new businesses coming in, restaurants and bars and things like that, we’ve really tried to up our patrol, and the best way to patrol in those areas is a bike officer.”
With the primary concern for officers being public safety, APD said the growing needs of these areas fit well with this style of patrol and allows for better public interaction.
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It’s a form of patrol downtown business owners, like Jay Patterson with The Leaf, appreciate.
“As a business owner, I know that addressing people’s presence kind of deters a lot of mischief, and I think with the increased presence of even the bicycle cops downtown, it would mitigate a lot of instances of possible mischief,” Patterson, being an avid cyclist himself, spoke to how the mobility of a bicycle will allow officers an advantage in that area.
However, Abilene woman Devon Petty said she was concerned about some of the potential risks these areas face after the sun goes down.
“A lot of us just don’t tend to come down here unless we’re in a group,” added Petty.
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KTAB/KRBC asked Petty if she felt the downtown area was dangerous at night, to which she responded, “It can be. Especially as, like, a woman, it can. If you’re by yourself and you don’t know if there’s going to be cops around or anything and bad things usually happen at night.”
Concerns of residents, like Petty’s, is why APD said it is focusing on those areas when people are out more during warm weather.
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