Wilkes-Barre City Police adds bikes to community policing force

Madonna Mantione
·2 min read

WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A Luzerne County police department is rolling out new tools to help ramp up community policing efforts.

The goal is to make streets safer while strengthening relationships with residents.

Effective community policing can reduce neighborhood crime, and the fear associated with it, and enhance overall quality of life.

Wilkes-Barre City Police Officers will soon use these tactical bikes to patrol the community.

They are intended to increase visibility downtown, in neighborhoods, and reinforce the department’s community policing unit.

“It’s all about building relationships. Building, maintaining, and establishing relationships. So, with that, we have to establish repour and we have to establish trust,” said Community Policing Unit Sergeant James Sheridan.

Police searching for 17-year-old in Dunmore

Six bikes totaling $24,000 were funded in part by the Luzerne Foundation and Diamond City Partnership, Wilkes-Barre’s Downtown non-profit management organization.

“We work very hard on the cleanliness and the beautification, but we need a partnership with the police department to work on the safety issue,” said Diamond City Partnership Executive Director Larry Newman.

Before hitting the pavement, officers will undergo training under the leadership of Chief Joe Coffay.

“When you’re out on a bike, you’re using all your senses, you’re using your hearing, your smelling, all those senses to patrol which you don’t really do in a patrol car,” Chief Coffay explained.

Brenda Sokolowski is the owner of Circles on the Square. 28/22 News asked her what she thinks about the program.

“I think it’s great. I think it’s great to have another layer of protection to what they already have here, it’s good, they’ll be more visible for people to see when they’re on the square or anywhere,” said Sokolowski.

The program is still in its early stages of development.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.