Bike Patrol
The Novi Police Department established a Mountain Bicycle Patrol
Unit in 1996. The goals of the department’s bicycle patrol are:
- To equip and train assigned personnel in effective bicycle
patrol tactics as it related to Community Oriented Policing.
- To get officers more closely interacting with citizens and
visitors to the City of Novi.
- To enhance the quality and effectiveness of police service
that is provided by the department.
- To increase security in and around all schools located in the
City of Novi.
- To promote bicycle safety to all children within the City of
Novi.
In a proactive unit such as this, with the defined
goals in place, much of the success is gauged by the comments that
come back to the unit and police administration. The bicycle patrol
is comprised of four (4) police sergeants and several police
officers. All personnel have received specialized training in the
areas of performance, law enforcement and bicycle safety. The
bicycle patrol unit has had nothing but positive comments from all
aspects of the community. Local government officials, educators,
parents and children alike have all been very receptive to this
proactive unit. Calls come in to the station on a regular basis
requesting the bicycle patrol unit to increase their patrols at
school functions, subdivision picnics, child safety events and
retail shopping areas. The Novi Parks and Recreation Department have
been ecstatic about the unit patrolling two new parks in the city
and continue to request the unit’s presence at various events they
sponsor. The Novi Community School district has also reacted in a
positive fashion after the unit repeatedly patrolled the grounds
during fall football games. The most notable comment that came to
one of the bicycle officers at a football game was; "you guys are
everywhere."
The decreased number of incidents at public events is another
tremendous barometer of the unit’s success. The bicycle patrol unit
truly created an omni-present atmosphere at these functions by
covering an extended area where foot is the only mode of movement
and the traffic flow bottles up a patrol unit. By community
standards, the Novi Police Department Bicycle Patrol Unit is a
tremendous success.
