By By NORMA LERNER / Edwardsburg Argus
EDWARDSBURG - Little did an Edwardsburg police officer know that patrolling on a bicycle would be fun.
Peddling in various neighborhoods this summer will be officers Kevin English and Gerald Ross who will ride the new Ontwa Township-Edwardsburg Police Department's bicycle while on duty from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m.
While patrolling in neighborhoods, English has a hand-held radar unit and catches a lot of speeders. He pulls them over and writes them a speeding ticket. Recently he caught a hit-and-run driver on Curtis Drive at Pleasant Lake. The driver clipped off a mailbox and left the scene until English pulled him over.
On Monday, he caught a speeder on Section Street in front of the Edwardsburg Primary School. "We are like a second unit but a separate thing," he said.
English carries with him supplies in a supply bag strapped to the back of the bicycle such as a notebook, a traffic citation book, legal forms, the bright orange warning stickers, domestic violence forms, informational cards and vehicle impoundment forms.
The TREK bicycle is set up nice, noted English. He said it is easy to ride and will eventually have red and blue lights on it when it is fully equipped. It's only been on the road for a week and has 42.3 miles on it.
More equipment is needed, and much of it has been donated. He said any donations are welcome because items like bicycle tools, summer uniforms such as light-weight shirts and shorts are needed. They also need maintenance equipment such as a spare tire and inner tube.
English said lights have been ordered for the bicycle but won't be delivered for another three weeks.
The bicycle was paid for out of the police department budget and donations. It costs about $1,500 with full equipment.
Donations have come from the Eagle Lake Association, Krupp's Power Sports, Inc., Keith Kirkdorfer and an anonymous donor.
English said Sgt. Michael Heidenriech, a Dowagiac city officer, gave the Ontwa-Edwardsburg Department good advice and resources. He said he helped the department pick out the bicycle and the equipment needed. It was also advised getting a bicycle rack for the squad car so that it can be transported to far out locations where it is too dangerous to ride such as along U.S. 12.
Although English is an accomplished bicycle rider, he will eventually take the police training course. He said Ross went through a week's training of the International Police Mountain Bike course. He said the training wasn't easy. It included riding up and down stairways, over hills and curbs, self defense with the bike between the officer and an offender, pursuing people on foot, dismounting and running after someone and other things.
The maximum speed on the bicycle is about 15 miles per hour but an average ride is 8.5 miles per hour.
English started with the department in 1974 and left to serve in the town of Hartford and Howard Township before coming back in 1986.
The non-emergency number is (269) 663-8444. The emergency number is 911.