Sheriff's deputies train for bike patrol
By Nancy Needham nancy@theacorn.com

POLICE PASS THE CONE TEST- - Traffic cones create a challenge for Ventura County Sheriff's Department Dep. Jeff Thereault of Camarillo, who spent three days training with Thousand Oaks Police officers. The local cops taught the deputy and 19 others the art of patrolling on a bicycle.

Wearing shorts and polo shirts and each toting about 15 pounds of police gear, Thousand Oaks Police Department bicycle patrol officers quietly roll up and down the city's streets.

Their mission, said Dep. Tim Ragan, is to "protect your quality of life."

They do that by riding for miles during their shifts, getting to know residents, store owners and pedestrians. They smile. They wave. They notice people.

"We are not as easily identified" as officers driving patrol cars, Ragan said.

By the time someone realizes the bicyclist is a police officer, the officer has already noticed that person.

Senior Dep. Michael Marco said, "We do a lot of narcotics enforcement."

Outside of a patrol car, it's not hard to realize when a person is under the influence, Marco said.

Bike patrol officers also keep an eye on transients, who sometimes urinate on the street. The officers make sure day laborers pick up their litter at the site the city created for them. These are some of the "quality of life" issues they speak of.

"Speed is not a concern. We don't try to pull cars over," Marco said with a smile.

Still, if a call comes in and another officer needs assistance, bicycle patrol officers can hit speeds of 30 to 40 mph, he said.

Thousand Oaks has four fulltime bicycle patrol officers.

"We are more approachable. We work with business owners and others we see and talk to on a regular basis," Ragan said.

Though riding a bike is often considered a fun pastime, the job is a serious one.

The Thousand Oaks bicycle patrol officers are more vulnerable than those driving cars, and it takes a certain kind of courage to do what they do, Marco said.

Twenty officers from around Southern California- deputies, police and national park rangers- came to the city last week to learn how to effectively enforce the law from the seat of a bike.

They came to be taught by people who are out there every day. Officers taking the training included deputies Dan Alcantar and Jeff Therault, both of Camarillo.

For three days, bike patrol trainees learned skills such as riding bikes up and down stairs, riding in pairs, knowing what their partner is doing, staying safe in traffic and staying out of motorists' blind spots, Marco said.

While the group of about 10 trainers and 20 students were training throughout the area, people were not always friendly, said Sgt. Bill Ayub, an instructor from Ventura. Some people yelled at them. One car with a young driver purposefully swerved at them, he said.

The group stayed together, and the student bike riders learned exactly what a bicycle patrol officer faces, including tired legs from constant pedaling.

The group rode more than 20 miles on rugged roads and offroad earlier in the day before the final riding test on Friday at a community park.

The training had similarities to a child's bike rodeo, except for the speed required, the perfection expected and the difficulty of the course. It looked like a day in the park, but it really wasn't- they also had written tests to pass.

Thousand Oaks is one of only three cities in the state that offers law enforcement bicycle training.

"A patrol officer can't ride a bike on patrol unless he's been certified. We don't certify them unless they've taken this 24hour course and proved they are proficient," Aguilar said.

Once they've earned the certification, other patrol opportunities are open to them, such as special events that include Fourth of July, Conejo Valley Days and other functions that are considered more fun, Aguilar said.

Sheriff 's Department spokesperson Don Aguilar said, "Whether they are working with vendors or the homeless, these officers have to be proactive, not reactive, to protect the people they serve."