The Alice Police Department has just launched a new police bike patrol unit, putting eight certified officers on the streets.
“By them being out there, being visual, they are more stealth to where they can roll up to a crime scene or roll up to a burglary in progress and things like this without being noticed,” said Interim Chief Aniceto Perez.
The department is going the extra mile to make sure every part of their city is patrolled. The officers will be patrolling parks, neighborhoods, and other places to make sure they build a one-on-one relationship with the people of Alice.
“We want the public to trust us, and that is the goal I am trying to achieve here. I want the officers to be more visual and have communication and a good rapport. So it is a very positive thing going on that has been implemented here in the community for the betterment for everyone,” said Perez.
Interim Police ChiefAniceto Perez says the department has received a lot of positive feedback from the community, but it’s too early to judge its impact when it comes to burglaries, citations, and arrests.
“Burglaries are always going to be there. It varies from month to month and day to day. But luckily, so far, it has gone down; there has been a decrease. Percentage-wise, I say maybe 5 percent, 3 percent of the burglaries have gone down,” saidPerez.
The bike patrol unit started 3 months ago and will be looking to add 2 more bikes to the department so you can expect to see more officers riding daily throughout the community.
