Policy Text
Field Services Page 1 of 5 01/13 (REV 2/04)
Sheriff's Bicycle Patrol
The purpose of this order is to e stablish the procedure for the operation of the Sheriff's
Bicycle Patrol.
I. General
A. The Sheriff's Bicycle Patrol i s comprised of regular sworn a nd reserve
officers having primary assignm ent in various divisions in this department.
The unit operates as an elemen t of Field Services and will be u sed for
training, directed patrol, or s pecial enforcement activities as directed by
the division commanders or their designated representative. De ployment,
transportation, and utilization of bicycles shall be under the direction of the
division commander o r their designee.
B. Division commanders or their designee may approve bicycle op erations,
which utilize officers under thei r command who have met the req uired
standards for the bicycl e patrol officer.
C. Division commanders or their designee will maintain a roster of all officers
certified as bicycle patrol officers.
D. Except for approved off-duty em ployment, all requests for bi cycle patrol at
community events will be forwar ded to the division commander or their
designee for approval.
E. Officers must have approval from their respective division c ommanders.
II. Duties and Responsibilities
A. Commander
1. Shall be the rank of sergean t or above and be appointed by t he
Chief Deputy for Field Services.
2. Manage and direct the unit.
3. Select officers to the unit based on qualifications and suit ability.
Field Services Page 2 of 5 01/13 (REV 2/04) 4. Receive requests for bicycle o perations and coordinate these
operations with the requesting division.
5. Plan bicycle operations and assign operation supervisors.
B. Operation Supervisor
1. Should be appointed by the unit commander.
2. Consult with the unit comm ander in planning operations.
3. Schedule officers participati ng in operations, ensuring a su fficient
number of qualified team leaders are included.
4. Prepare operation outlines. F orward copies to communication s and
the appropriate patrol division.
5. Notify the records superviso r of the affected shift(s) of th e
operation, at least one day prior.
6. Coordinate with the equipment r oom of the Field Services div ision
where the operation is taking pl ace. Arrange for portable radi os
and other needed equipment. Ensur e the borrowed radios and
other equipment are picked up and returned promptly after the
operation.
7. Arrange for a minimum of one chase car to support the operat ion.
More should be included, if the si ze and nature of the particul ar
operation warrant them. These ca rs are to carry sufficient arr est
packages, reports forms and othe r supplies needed for the
operation.
8. Deploy and direct teams and support vehicles as necessary to
complete the operation.
9. Ensure activities are conduct ed in accordance with departmen t
policies and orders.
10. Collect information from team leaders to complete the activ ity report
and evaluate the operation. Forwa rd the activity report, copie s of
all crime reports, citation, F.I .'s and other pertinent informa tion to
the unit commander in a timely manner.
C. Team Leader
1. Shall be designated by t he operation supervisor.
2. Lead and supervise a team of officers.
Field Services Page 3 of 5 01/13 (REV 2/04)
3. Coordinate with the operation supervisor and other team lead ers to
complete the operation.
4. Ensure team activities are conducted safely and in accordanc e with
department policies and orders.
5. Advise the operation supervi sor of activities and conditions
encountered.
6. Maintain a log of activitie s, including arrests, reports, ci tations and
F.I.'s.
7. Review all reports, citati ons and F.I.'s for accuracy and
completeness. Ensure these are completed in a timely manner an d
forward them to the operation supervisor.
III. Equipment
A. Bicycles
1. The Training, Planning and Rese arch Division (T.P.R.D.) will set
bicycle component standards.
2. Shall be a mountain bike with an aluminum, cromoly or titani um
frame with a minimum of 21 speeds.
a. *Exception - bicycle used in b icycle patrol operations prior to
this implementation day may still be used.
3. At minimum, the bicycle mus t have front suspension. Shock
absorber on the front forks.
4. Pedals with foot r etention devices, such as clipless pedals or toe
clips.
5. Equipped with a dual beam headlight, the high beam of which is a
minimum of 20 watts, and a red or blue taillight.
6. Black rear pack wit h "Sheriff" in gold lettering on both sid es.
B. Uniform and Safety Equipment
1. The summer and winter uniform s hall be as specified in the u niform
and safety equipment manual.
Field Services Page 4 of 5 01/13 (REV 2/04) 2. Bicycle helmets shall be bla ck, meeting the specified standa rds of
the American Nationa l Standards Institute (ANSI), the Snell
Memorial Foundation, and the Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC).
3. Riding gloves shall be predomin antly black in color and be w orn at
all times when riding the bicycle.
4. Eye protection shall be wor n at all times when riding the