Published March 31 2016
After a six-year hiatus caused by recession-related budget cuts, the Bellevue Police bike patrol will return to the streets Friday morning.
The restoration of the team was made possible after the City Council voted to restore funding for the unit as part of the mid-biennium budget. The department's former bike unit was eliminated in 2011 as a result of the last economic downturn.
Restoration of the unit will increase the authorized strength of the Police Department by five members; four bike patrol officers and one corporal. The first two officers and a supervisor will begin their two-wheeled patrols at 10 a.m., Friday, and an additional two officers will join the unit later this year.
Police Chief Steve Mylett stated: "I would like to thank the Bellevue City Council and our City Manager Brad Miyake for their tremendous display of support in restoring funding for our bicycle patrol unit. This proactive unit will be a powerful tool in our downtown core as well as our many parks, bike paths and trails."
Bike officers are an effective tool for conducting patrols in areas not easily accessible by regular patrol officers in a car. These areas include parks, trails, waterfront, wooded areas, in and around special events and areas with a high volume of foot and vehicular traffic, such as downtown. video of Bellevue bike officers in training.