Electric bikes give MLPD faster access to hard-to-reach areas

MOSES LAKE - The Moses Lake Police Department is rolling into spring with a major upgrade to its bike patrol program. The department recently got four new fat‑tire electric bicycles designed to boost officer mobility, visibility and community engagement throughout the city.

Captain Jeff Sursely said the department has used bicycles for roughly three decades, but this is the first time officers will patrol on e‑bikes capable of reaching up to 28 mph.

"This is the first year we've moved to an e‑bike," Sursely said. "The fat tire version will allow us to go off‑road ... behind Walmart, the movie theater, some of the areas where we've had some illegal camping."

Patrol lighting

To prepare the bikes for police use, MLPD turned to the city's public works team, the same crew that outfits patrol vehicles. Sursely said he challenged them to treat the bikes like full‑sized cruisers.

"I asked if they could outfit our bikes like the police cars," he said. "They were able to tie police car lighting into the actual bikes ... They're the same lights that are used on a police car. Extremely visible, extremely bright."

The lights, both the ones for visibility and the typical lights seen on a patrol vehicle, run off the bike's existing power system, eliminating the need for separate batteries.

The e‑bikes also include a built‑in locking mechanism that immobilizes the rear hub with a few button presses.

"They don't have to do the old cable locks," Sursely said. "It automatically locks the rear hub, so it becomes an 80‑pound weight."

More contacts

Officers tested the new bikes during an evening patrol and made 19 contacts in the first two hours, Sursely said, a level of engagement that's harder to achieve from inside a patrol car.

"We can literally pop up and say, 'Hey, how are you guys doing? Any problems?'" he said. "It allows us to interact with the public a lot easier."

The bikes also give officers a quieter, more approachable presence. Sursely said even some frequent contacts have already taken notice.

"We've had a few of the people we deal with on a regular basis running around telling everybody, 'Be careful. The cops just got new bikes,'" he said.

Access

The fat‑tire design allows officers to reach wooded or fenced‑off areas behind businesses, places where patrol cars can't drive and where officers previously had to walk in groups.

"Before, it had to be a targeted thing where we'd get five guys together," Sursely said. "Now, two officers will just be able to zoom in randomly on a bike... which always helps in creating an environment where people don't feel comfortable setting up camps or doing whatever."

The bikes will also be heavily used during crowded downtown events such as Spring Festival and Brews & Tunes.

"Anybody that's lived here knows how locked up the downtown core gets," Sursely said. "This will allow us to get anywhere in the downtown core without a problem."

Health benefits

Beyond mobility, Sursely said the bikes offer officers fresh air, exercise and more face‑to‑face time with residents.

"A bike actually gets them out of that comfort zone and puts them out in the public," he said. "Which is always a benefit."

One thing the bikes don't have: laptops. Officers will take notes the old‑fashioned way and return to the station to complete reports.

"We're going back to the '90s," Sursely said.

A tool for connection

Sursely said the department hopes residents will see the e‑bikes as a sign of increased accessibility and community presence.

"This is just another tool ... to get closer to the community and be more involved," he said.

The new e‑bike patrols are expected to be active throughout the summer.

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