LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Responding faster to emergency calls without getting out of breath.
The Clark County School District Police Department now has one of the largest E-bike fleets in law enforcement.
The E-bikes are replacing the CCSD police department’s traditional mountain bikes at some schools, where officers had to do all the pedaling themselves.
Which is especially important when campuses are clustered together like at Las Vegas High School, and Rancho High School to name a few.
And if you’re wondering, yes they can pull you over.
The e-bikes can go close to 30 miles per hour.
Lieutenant Bryan Zink says that comes in handy when officers need to zip across campus or keep up with cars during traffic stops.
“There are a lot of times you get that look like, ‘wait a minute, where’s your car? Where’s your motorcycle? Oh, no, I’m a bike cop.’ Pull over license registration, proof of insurance. Just the same stop, just a different way of getting it done,” Lieutenant Zink said.
The E-bikes are quick and nimble, allowing officers to patrol school hallways and school parking lots as well as the streets around the schools during morning arrivals and when school lets out.
They also let officers cover more ground more efficiently.
“The E-bikes will allow the officers to arrive on scene not winded or tired because you imagine, a lot of our campuses are a couple acres big,” lieutenant Zink said. “If you had to ride from one end of the campus to another with our 30 pounds of gear on a bicycle, and it’s 110 degrees outside, it might get you a little gassed.”
Take Las Vegas High School for example. There are several elementary schools near that campus.
Lieutenant Zink says every comprehensive high school has two E-bikes, and middle school officers will be getting them as well.
So, if there was a call at Mervin Iverson Elementary, officers would have to bike nearly one mile to get there.
The efficiency is something Officer Terry McAnich appreciates.
“They have the option on here to get pedal assist or throttle only, and once they get there, they’ll be able to be refreshed,” Officer McAninch said.
Officer McAnich adds the battery lasts around 50 miles.
Lieutenant Zink says his department has been gearing up for the change.
“Unfortunately in the police academy, they typically only teach you how to do car patrol or foot patrol, but us, being predominantly a campus based law enforcement department, we feel the need and it’s been proven that officers having bicycles can respond a lot faster to calls on or around the property,” Lieutenant Zink said.
Part of the E-bike training involves the officers learning how to defend themselves with the bikes, using them for cover and how to maneuver through elevators. Students can expect to see them in and around campus.
The E-bikes came from a grant from the State Board of Education, and the money was earmarked for school safety.
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