In June of 2018, the Los Angeles Police department began using 20 electric bicycles to evaluate their possible use for community patrols. Here’s what I found out…
A police department finally sees the light…
For years now, many communities in Southern California (and various other cities) have been using pedal-only bicycles as a useful addition to their community patrolling, especially near beaches and parks. I have often wondered why they hadn’t at least tried out an electric bike for evaluation. Pedaling at a leisurely pace will allow the battery to last all day, but…when a purse-snatcher takes off running? having an electric bike gives the officer a burst of speed, and enough endurance to easily keep up with a suspect until they tire out first.
The first round will evaluate 20 units
The Bulls Sentinel
BULLS was created in 1997 by its parent company, the German “Zweirad Experten Gruppe” (two-wheel expert group) better known as ZEG, which is the world’s biggest dealer cooperative in the bicycle business. “Bulls Bikes USA” is the U.S. office of the German brand, which began sales here in 2015. The company offers a wide array of e-bikes and standard bicycle models in the U.S.
The “Sentinel” model is a combination of features built to LAPD’s requested specs.
The patrol bikes have a Bosch Performance Speed motor, which means it will provide the programmed power-assistance all the way up to 28-MPH (45 km/h). It also uses an aluminum hydro-formed frame, and Magura hydraulic disc brakes with a 200mm diameter rotors on the front, and 180mm on the rear, Schwalbe Super Moto tires, and a RockShox Pike fork. The Bosch motor system provides a max torque of 63 Newton-meters.
Elwood Blues, Chicago consultant from “SMOTS”, (State Municipal Offender Tracking System)
LAPD previous EV trials
In June of 2014, the LAPD purchased several Zero motorcycles for evaluation, and their near-silent operation can be very useful when providing patrol coverage of crowds.
The LAPD began testing Zero motorcycles to see where they would be useful.
Written by Ron/spinningmagnets, July 2018
