Serotta donates more bikes to Saratoga Springs Police

[BumbleBeeDave]

Here is a story with photo that ran on the local front in color this AM in my paper, The Daily Gazette in Schenectady.

I SWEAR I had nothing to do with the angle of the story or the headline! But regardless, it's still a great thing for Ben to do. :p

BBDave

_________________________

SEROTTA GIVES POLICE CUSTOM BIKES

Patrols will aid Saratoga’s effort to broaden community policing

By ROBIN K. COOPER
Gazette Reporter

SARATOGA SPRINGS _ There aren’t too many police departments that patrol the streets on $5,000 custom-made mountain bikes.

Thanks to a local bicycle manufacturer, the Saratoga Springs Police Department will soon have six of the titanium-framed mountain bikes in its bicycle patrol fleet, officials said Friday.

Ben Serotta, owner of Serotta Competition Bicycle on Geyser Road, who donated four custom bikes to the department last fall, plans to deliver two more bikes this week May 10 at no cost to the city, he said.

For Sgt. Dan Noeker, who oversees the bike patrol unit, it means the department may soon be able to expand its coverage into neighborhoods around the city, including Geyser Crest, the West Side, Interlaken and Water’s Edge.

The department introduced bike patrols five years ago as a way to increase police presence on Broadway during the busy summer tourist season. At that time, officers rode one of three Cannondale mountain bikes purchased by the city.

“Now, we’ve got the Serottas,” Noeker said, adding that there is no shortage of officers volunteering to join the bike patrol. So far, 15 officers have volunteered. They’ll all have a chance, he said.

“It’s a nice ride,” said Officer Matt Wilson, a three-year department veteran who joined the bike patrol last fall. Public Safety Department officials and Capt. Michael Biss expanded the bike patrol unit last year to help ease Broadway traffic flow and crack down on parking violators.

“It’s much easier to get around city streets on the bikes,” Noeker said. “We are able to write a lot more parking tickets with the bikes,” he added.

The response time for bike patrols to reach a call on Broadway is quicker too, Noeker said. The bike patrol is just one more example of community policing, he said.

Chief Edward Moore, who was promoted from lieutenant last year, has said one of his priorities is to increase community policing and to encourage officers to get to know area residents and business owners. The bike patrols will help accomplish that goal, Noeker said.

“People like seeing them out there,” said Deputy Public Safety Commissioner Erin Dreyer.

During a 15-minute ride around the city on Friday, two pedestrians and a motorcyclist stopped to greet Noeker and Wilson. And a local wine store owner thanked them for patrolling his lot and offered them water any time they’re thirsty.

“We get a good response. And when the new bikes arrive, we’ll be able to do more of it,” Dreyer said.

With six Serottas, police will be able to focus efforts in neighborhoods around the city as well as downtown, she said. A trial run in the Geyser Crest neighborhood at the southwestern end of the city could begin as early as this week, Dreyer added.

Serotta, whose daughter attended elementary school with the daughter of Saratoga Springs police Sgt. Will Crandall, said he wanted to help the community.

“Police departments across the country are uniformly hamstrung for resources,” Serotta said. “I felt like it would be a nice thing to do, so we did it.” That’s why last fall he had his staff craft four silver-framed custom mountain bikes. The other two are almost complete, he said.

Reach Gazette reporter Robin K. Cooper at 518-587-1780 or rcooper@dailygazette.net.
________________________________

PETER R. BARBER Gazette Photographer Saratoga Springs police
Officer Matthew Wilson, on bicycle patrol, writes a ticket to a
motorist on Broadway for talking on a cellular phone while driving.
Custom bicycle maker Ben Serotta of Serotta Competition Bicycle
in Saratoga Springs has donated four high-tech bicycles to the
department and will donate two more this week to the bicycle
unit.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . I am starting a neighborhood watch patrol in my area here in Schenectady, and it sure would be nice to have, well, er, YOU know . . . .

A CST with all XTR would do very nicely! . . . ;)

BBDave

[Smiley]

who needs a buglar alarm when you have that type of clout. Way to go Ben and lets not forget the employees who more than likely donated their time for this effort or certainly of their bonus .

[Ken Robb]

C111's would only cost $1,000 if Ben would quit giving away the profits!!

[Kevan]

one officer have to stay outside and guard the b&w (okay, natural Ti) bikes while the other officers stop in at the local donut shop? ;)

[Tom]

....Saratoga Springs police
Officer Matthew Wilson, on bicycle patrol, writes a ticket to a
motorist on Broadway for talking on a cellular phone while driving....


He should also have been allowed to cut off their valve stems, break their taillights and key their paint.

[Keith A]

Kudos to Ben for making a difference in his community.

[Johny]

Question:
Do you think these policemen can catch the burglar who ride an Ottrott? :D

[BumbleBeeDave]

Once again my total domination of our editorial policy makes itself felt! :rolleyes:

PUT MORE COPS ON BIKES

Not every community has a
world-class bicycle manufacturer in it,
much less one that's generous enough to
donate a half-dozen custom-made
mountain bikes (retail value: $5,000
each) for its police officers to tool
around town on. In both regards,
Saratoga Springs _ with its Serotta
Competition Bicycle _ is very lucky
indeed.
But police officials elsewhere, take
note: The six bikes Serotta donated
have proven extremely popular with
Saratoga's patrol officers and with
members of the community, and they've
been effective law enforcement tools.
So even if there's no generous bike
manufacturer or dealer in town, going
this route may make a lot of sense.
(And while Serotta bikes are terrific,
other excellent options exist for less
than $5,000.)
Bikes can maneuver faster and easier in
traffic (which downtowns besides
Saratoga's have plenty of), and they
can go places cars can't. They're
less conspicuous than cruisers, which
means the cops riding them can observe
more before they're observed themselves.
And they're cheaper, both to buy and to
operate, than cars. Price has to be a
consideration these days, what with
patrol cars costing close to $30,000
and gas approaching $2 a gallon.
For many cops, bikes are preferable to
cars. They're an opportunity to get
exercise and fresh air, and a welcome
change from the cooped-up environment
of a patrol car.
Granted, they're only seasonal
vehicles, and even in the summer
patrolling isn't possible on rainy days. But the
bike season in this region is a good eight months long, and
that's enough time for any police department to give serious
consideration to bike patrols.