It's been a 100 years since bicycles ruled the roads, and we now live in a fast-paced society where motorists want to zoom at 50 mph to every red light. So it might seem quite strange for a community to put some policemen back on bicycles. However, an officer in a patrol car is highly visible, he can't easily scout back alleyways, parking lots, parks, crowds, and other high-crime areas, and he has difficulty pursuing criminals who don't use a motor vehicle to escape. But unencumbered mobility is just one of the many advantages of police on bikes. This mobility, combined with quietness and small size allows for surprise apprehension of unwary criminals.
Bikes are the bane of drug dealers.
They allow police greater contact with citizens than patrol cars and have a much greater range than strictly foot patrols. Thus, bicycle patrol units are an excellent match with community-based policing protocols. Residents and business folk love them. They're also hungrier than average, which bodes well for downtown eateries. A bicycle is significantly less expensive than a car cruiser.