The last time Whitehall Township Police Department’s bicycle unit patrolled the streets was 2004 - but thanks to a proactive staff and the local business community, officers are once again hitting the pavement.

Chief Michael Marks, a 20-year veteran of the force, credits Lt. Greg Bealer, a member of the original bicycle unit, for the push to bring the program back. Other officers quickly got on board and went from business to business to request support for the program.

“It’s just an amazing group of people, an amazing group of businesses that came together and helped make this a reality,” Marks said. “We always operate on a tight budget. This really helped out.”

Marks said he put out a letter of interest to his officers and chose five of them to receive training during a one-week course sponsored by both the Easton Police Department and the International Police Mountain Bike Association (IPMBA).

Officers received training on navigating both urban and rural situations, such as steps and curbs.

“They are all bicycle riders in one form or another, whether it’s mountain bikes or road racing. That’s their hobby, so I know that worked out well,” Marks said.

The bicycles include special safety gear and are equipped with emergency flashing lights, night riding lights and a storage area for bicycle repair kits and other necessities.

Like most police duties, safety is always a concern.

“My biggest concern is the same for any person on a bicycle. On the road, someone might not be paying attention and won’t see the bicycle,” Marks said.

Drivers are reminded that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation states motor vehicles must allow four feet of distance when overtaking a bicycle and travel at a careful and prudent speed.

The primary focuses of the bicycle patrols are the trails, high-density residential areas and the shopping district, as well as any special events.

Although neighboring departments such as Allentown and Bethlehem have bicycle patrols, Whitehall’s program is not being modeled off others.

“This is like our hybrid program of combining community with a different deployment option,” Marks said. “It’s just getting back to the whole basics of policing. Community policing has evolved so many different times over the years in so many different ways, and at the core of it, it’s about going out and meeting the people that you serve and getting interactions with the community. And that’s how you develop the rapport that helps you.”

The bicycle unit will have a real opportunity to interact with township citizens in a way that could never occur while driving a patrol car. This will allow officers to be more approachable and more likely to gain important information from people who would normally be reluctant to talk or get involved.

“Part of our Field Training Officer (FTO) training program is just reminding officers that, for the most part, your everyday average citizen doesn’t have interactions with police officers. So, the one time they may need you might be the only time in their whole life that they have an interaction with the police,” Marks said.

Officers are already receiving positive feedback from the surrounding community.

“They’ve all relayed so far the great interactions that they’re having with not just businesses and business owners, but regular people out mowing their lawn,” Marks said.

The hands-on approach of the bicycle program is an opportunity to remind citizens that the motto of police officers is “to protect and serve.”

“I think that’s about the truest motto that you can find in America for police,” Marks said. “I think it says everything in those short, simple words.”