The Dover Police Mountain Bike Unit has been on patrol for the past several years. The Mountain Bike Unit was formed as an enforcement initiative targeting problems in the central business district and its surrounding neighborhoods. Officers have since used the mountain bike to patrol the low income housing areas and their assigned neighborhoods.
The bicycle borne officer affords many advantages over the traditional foot and cruiser patrols:
- -Accessibility to areas readily inaccessible to cruisers.
- -Increased mobility over foot patrols and cruisers in congested areas.
- -Approachability over officers assigned to cruisers by eliminating the metal barrier.
- -Enhanced observation due to the officer's ability to look over groups and into vehicles in traffic.
- -Educational tool in the department's advocacy of traffic safety and helmet use.
The use of the bicycles have resulted in greatly reduced rates of theft and nuisance crimes in the areas assigned. Coupled with programs such as the Cocheco River Crimewatch, use of the mountain bike officers in the downtown area has resulted in a decline in thefts from motor vehicles and an increase in alcohol related offense arrest.
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