Nov. 16—WILKES-BARRE — Mayor George Brown and Police Chief Joe Coffay announced the deployment of the Wilkes-Barre City Police Bicycle Patrol Unit this week.
Brown said the development of the Wilkes-Bare Police Department’s Bicycle Patrol Unit and the purchase of the e-bikes – made possible by the Diamond City Partnership and the Luzerne Foundation – were announced last April.
“Since then, my administration and I have been eagerly awaiting the implementation of the officers on their e-bikes,” said Mayor Brown.
He said the city deployed the first six police officers of the newly formed Bicycle Patrol Unit on November 13, 2024. The six officers are fully equipped and trained in bicycle patrol tactics and operations, using their newly purchased Police Patrol E-Bikes.
The six officers were the first of twelve to complete an IPMBA E-Bike Training Course. The training was conducted by instructors from the Pennsylvania Capitol Police Department in Harrisburg.
The Bicycle Patrol Unit’s deployment includes targeted patrol operations based on specific crimes and geographic areas, including the downtown business district and substation areas serving the city’s residential neighborhoods.
They will be used for special events, parades, festivals, running events/races and other indoor and outdoor community events.
The newly formed unit will be assigned to the Community Policing Division under the leadership of Lieutenant James Sheridan and Sergeant Steve Lada and will undergo additional training in the near future.
Mayor Brown and Chief Constable Coffay said six additional police officers will be trained over the next two weeks, bringing the total number of cycle officers to 12.
Chief Joseph Coffay thanked Superintendent Joseph Jacob and Sergeant John Biesecker of the Pennsylvania Capitol Police for providing the training to the officers.
“Their assistance in providing this training is a testament to the collaborative efforts made every day between state and local law enforcement,” said Chief Coffay.
In addition, Coffay thanked the Diamond City Partnership and the Luzerne Foundation for their assistance in purchasing the bicycles.
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
