Community Article

Pedalling a stern message

BEWARE of cyclists - they could be undercover cops.

Knox Police are conducting plain clothes and uniform bicycle operations around the municipality on four new
bikes.

The bikes were donated through a partnership between Knox Council, Knox Shopping Centre and
the Apollo Bike Company. The Knox Police bike patrol unit was recently given the $5000 bikes after donating its old ones to the Swinburne TAFE for educational purposes. Knox Sen-Constable Grant
Spierings said a number of crime-related problems were identified in the local area which required the use of the bike patrol unit. Knox Sen-Constable Spierings said they could go anywhere on the bikes and people didn't expect to see policemen on them. "They don't realise we are police until we are right up on them," Sen-Constable Spierings said. Already police have impounded a hoon driver's car and caught a drink-driver through bike patrols. The last time police did a patrol was about two years ago.