Galveston Bike Patrol Officers near Fisherman's Wharf on the Galveston Waterfront. |
Galveston Police Department Bicycle Patrol
The Galveston police bicycle patrol formed in 1997. Today it
is currently comprised of three full time officers: Sgt. Jeff Heyse, Officer
John Blackwell, and Officer Chris Force. The bicycle fleet consists of
mountain bikes from Trek, Schwinn, and Mercedes, as well as three additional
custom-built mountain bikes.
The primary duties of the bicycle patrol include the proactive patrol of
high crime areas, downtown Galveston, and the Seawall in an effort to combat
problems such as prostitution, illegal narcotic dealing, and transients.
Bicycle patrol officers also patrol the neighborhoods primarily between 61st
street, Ferry road, Seawall, and Harborside. The three officers assigned to
this division also assist officers from vice/narcotics with search warrants
and undercover operations.
In addition, bicycle officers teach bike safety to area school children.
Sergeant Heyse, and Officers Blackwell and Force are members of IPMBA- the
International Police Mountain Bike Association. Officer Force and Officer
Blackwell are certified as IPMBA bicycle instructors, and in addition to
teaching bike safety to children, these two officers train other officers
and EMS personnel in various aspects of bicycle patrol and emergency
response.
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