Four MPD officers undergo bicycle training in the heat of summer
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Most Marshalltown residents and visitors are used to seeing the men and women of the Marshalltown Police Department (MPD) keeping an eye on the streets in their typical patrol vehicles, but one of the hottest weeks of the year thus far has allowed four young officers to hone their skills in another important area -- one that doesn't require any fuel.
Treye Teske, Nick Juel, Collin Lashbrook and Jose Solorio have been busy completing their 40-hour bicycle patrol training over the last several days under the supervision of Officer Dave Danielson, an 18-year veteran of the force who has been bike certified for 16 of those years.
"It's a large, popular tool is what this thing is. For some reason, we're more approachable on bikes. We're uptown, people are yelling at us, we go talk to them, and they're telling us stuff," Danielson said. "Not only does it save taxpayer money by not using gas, it's a huge tool. We used the bikes a lot during the tornado. We can get places that cars couldn't get, so that part is very instrumental to helping out the city. Training these guys, I don't know if they've realized how difficult it is. People don't understand that it's harder than the 40-hour class. It's not just 'Oh hey, get on the bike and ride.' There's a lot of drills and a lot of things you've got to accomplish to get certified and be a bike officer."
They completed most of the training over three 12-hour days Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday along with a few extra hours and a night ride on Wednesday. Juel called it "a humbling experience" and, echoing Danielson, noted that the certification is a lot more difficult than one might initially assume.
"There's a lot of little tips and tricks you've gotta learn and understand how to use your bike a lot more than I thought I'd ever have to," he said.
Lashbrook added that it's a great tool for community engagement and especially comes in handy during special events like the upcoming Red, White and Blue celebration around the Fourth of July, which is primarily held in the 13th Street District/Iowa Veterans Home area and the 6th Street Softball Complex. It also reiterates the lessons of basic bike safety.
"(It helps with) learning the laws and regulations that are set in place for bikes. A lot of people don't understand that bikes are just like vehicles when they're on the road, and learning those laws that are set in place by both Marshalltown and the state of Iowa are important. So that way, we can make sure that bikes are staying safe on the road as well as motorists," Teske said.
Although they can't transport suspects on their cycles, the officers said they have been able to get them into custody and then call on a patrol vehicle to finish the job of taking them back to the station or to the Marshall County Jail.
"Manpower plays a huge role in whether or not we can be on bikes. We have to have enough to cover the city, and if that's happening, then yes, a supervisor will (ask) 'Hey, do you want to get on bikes today and go out and do your own thing?' During the daytime, it's a lot more public relations. At nighttime, it's sneaking around and hiding in the shadows while fun things happen," Danielson said.
While the officers didn't have an official count on how many calories they'd burned through the week, there's no doubt that the training also offers a great cardio workout. And as the city's trail system continues to expand, Danielson said it's important to have a presence there as well.
"People love seeing us on the bike trails. They don't see very many officers on the trails. There's some things that go on on the bike trails, and so being able to get down there and ride that trail makes them feel safer," he said.
To complete the training, the officers have to demonstrate their proficiency in several slow speed exercises and pass a written test at the end.
"It's not just riding a bike for 40 hours. It's learning, doing drills (and) learning how to ride as slow as possible without falling off your bicycle," Danielson said.
And their boss, Chief Christopher Jones, is impressed with their efforts.
"I am proud to see this set of officers working to revitalize a very important program for our community. Their teamwork is commendable. The use of our bike patrol officers opens up many opportunities to further build community connections and support. It also provides our agency with another layer of crime prevention as bike officers make themselves available in areas where a patrol vehicle may not be our best option, such as our community parks and bike paths," Jones said. "I do want to extend special appreciation to Officer David Danielson, our bike officer instructor, for coordinating this much needed program."