NORWAY – Police continued a 10-year tradition Friday when Officer Josh Wyman put the patrol car in park and the mountain bike in gear.

Wyman is one of a few select officers who get their exercise while chasing down crime in Oxford Hills’ second largest town.

Police Chief Tim Richards said the bike patrol starts just prior to the official first day of summer and runs – or pedals – until Labor Day, depending on the weather.

If it’s raining, the bike shift is canceled.

Richards said for the past several years, an anonymous donor has been giving enough to pay for the manpower required for the shift.

He said he would like to have the bicycle shift run 40 hours per week, but it often falls short due to weather conditions and available personnel.

Richards said the patrol stays in the downtown area, but some of the “more energetic riders” will take the nearly 3-mile ride to patrol Lake Pennesseewassee.

Although the shift usually runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Richards said he has scheduled night shifts.

“The bike can often get into an area less noticed than a cruiser,” Richards said, “so, it’s kind of stealthy.”

As an example, Richards said last summer the police received several noise complaints about a house whose residents had a scanner.

“When a cruiser was sent they heard the dispatch and would quiet down,” Richards said. A bicycle patrolman was on duty that night and he rode up and waited for the noise to resume after the cruiser left after the second call.

Richards said he also liked the idea that the bicycle patrolman was able to interact better with the community. He said patrolmen have been able to give young riders safety tips and the proper way to ride.

“A lot of people don’t understand that bikes have a right to be on the roadway,” he said.

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