Taking to bikes to take care of crime - Kotatv

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA TV) - Summer in downtown Rapid City means increased foot traffic, which can lead to an increase in panhandling. In an effort to cut down on the problem, the Street Crimes Unit of the Rapid City Police Department patrols the streets on bikes.

Sgt. Brian Blenner believes their efforts are paying off. He said that the "business owners seem very receptive to us being down there, and they will call us if they have any issues."

It isn't only downtown that the officer ride through, but also the surrounding parks, such as Memorial Park. They look for anyone causing a disturbance or doing something illegal. Sergeant Blenner said there has to be something illegal happening as "anyone can be downtown at anytime."

One action not in the officer's job description that they willingly do: cleaning up after the homeless.

Mayor Steve Allender says this is because the police "see the bigger picture." They know that if there is a "creek or a bike path that's littered with homeless camps" the area "has the potential to deteriorate." Deteriorating paths and areas of parks discourages public use, which Allender says is contrary to community efforts to encourage outdoor recreation.

Patrolling also leads to arrests in some cases.

During the Thursday ride along, Senior Officers Tim Doyle and Brian Pitts responded to a call about a suspect in a felony drug case. The alleged suspect was quickly found and arrested by the officers before backup arrived. The officers have a unique opportunity to help the community on their bicycles, and it's one they take advantage of.

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