Yakima Police Department is expanding bike patrol with new e-bikes from Crime Stoppers

YAKIMA, Wash. – Yakima Police have expanded their bike patrol capacity with the addition of two new e-bikes, courtesy of Yakima County Crime Stoppers.

This acquisition brings the department’s total inventory to four bicycles. The two new motorcycles are valued at approximately $4,000 each.

“Our agencies are committed to bringing bike patrols back and making them more visible, particularly downtown, on the Greenway and then throughout the city as best we can,” said Yakima Police Department Interim Police Chief Shawn Boyle . “We have already purchased two e-bikes, but were looking for other ways to expand our bike division. Hopefully we’ll see a lot more exposure next summer.”

Yakima County Crime Stoppers supported the initiative by donating the two new bicycles. “This is just another tool we can offer police to do their jobs and make the community safer,” said Mark Peterson, president of Yakima County Crime Stoppers.

Lt. Chad Janis of the Yakima Police Department noted that the department previously had a full-time bike team called “SCAT” that had been inactive since about 2003. He said they’ve been looking at ways to get officers back on bikes, it’s great to get around traffic more easily and engage with the community.

Janis added: “At some point we would like to get the bikes out more often, or if we ever get to a point where we have the opportunity to have a full-time team even in certain seasons, then we would like to have that.”