Police

Bicycle Patrol

Bicycle Patrol officers helping a citizenBicycle Patrols were started in Nashville on October 1, 1993. Currently the department has 39 officers assigned to the Bike Patrol. Some of these officers work the downtown area, and some work the housing areas.

The West Precinct officers work the following areas: Music Row, John Henry Hale Housing, and the Enterprise Zone, which consists of the Edgehill Homes Housing Area and a large part of the community surrounding it.

Bicycle Patrol officers talking with a citizen The Enterprise Zone began its operation in 1995 and is contained within the larger Enterprise Community. This "Community" consists of Edgehill, Vine Hill, and J. C. Napier/Tony Sudekum. Another Enterprise Community is being developed in the East Nashville area.

All of the bike officers in the West Precinct are daily practitioners of Community Policing. Our officers work in pairs with one patrol car assigned to each pair. The officers ride their bikes as often as possible, and work together to determine who will transport prisoners; at times an officer may have to return to the office to obtain a car for prisoner transport. Supervisors maintain the office for the most part, and we try to have our people in the field where they can be most effective. Officers work flex shifts to address problems. The primary shift is 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; however, shifts change regularly to address any problems.

There are many benefits from bicycle patrols:

  • Officers are out of cars and accessible to public.
  • Subjects cannot generally outrun officers on bicycles.
  • Officers can approach silently on the specially designed bicycles which makes them excellent for drug "sting" takedowns (stealth).
  • Much more ground can be covered on a bicycle patrol than on foot.
  • Bicycles can go where cars are unable to go.
  • Costs are less for bicycles than cars.

Bicycle Patrol officer in motionThe majority of bikes used by the Metro Nashville Police Department are Raleighs and some Cannondales; a few Diamondbacks are also still in use. All bike officers with the Metro Nashville Police Department are certified through the International Police Mountain Bike Association (I.P.M.B.A.). Currently, there is one certified instructor. Officers wear black uniforms with reflective back panels (mainly to silently roll up on crimes-in-progress.)