BURBANK : Bike Patrols Target Parking Garages

This summer, Burbank police bicycle patrols will be used to thwart thieves in parking garages for the first time, according to authorities.

Marked police cruisers are at a disadvantage in the garages because criminal lookouts usually keep an eye out for them, Lt. Bob Giles said.

“These bicycles will allow us to come in the pedestrian entrances, and climb the stairs if necessary,” Giles said.

The Burbank City Council Tuesday approved the purchase of three 21-speed bicycles and equipment, including helmets, gloves, lights and sirens, for $4,600.

Two police officers on bikes will patrol Friday and Saturday nights from Burbank Boulevard to Verdugo Avenue and from the Golden State Freeway to 3rd Street beginning June 18. The pilot program will be evaluated at the end of summer.

The bicycle patrols will be able to handle large summer crowds more easily and are more approachable to local merchants and the public than patrol cars, Giles said.

The officers on bikes “are very skilled in dealing with people,” Giles said. Three police officers begin their bicycle training next week. They will learn about safety, catching a fleeing suspect and riding on stairs.

The bikes also allow police to get through traffic easier.

“Our marked patrol cars have some difficulty in peak traffic hours in getting through,” Giles said.

“Overall, the downtown area is relatively crime-free,” Giles said. Cars are broken into or stolen from the downtown parking garages, he said, adding, “it’s not a tremendous problem, but it’s not something we accept, either.”

So that bike patrol officers can respond to calls outside downtown, a police car with a bike rack will be parked nearby, Chief David Newsham told the City Council Tuesday.