Officers to Begin Patrols on Bicycles in Norwood-June 3, 1993

Police officers will pedal to keep the peace, after all.

Selectmen last night approved Chief George DiBlasi’s proposal to send some of Norwood’s finest into the streets on mountain bikes to patrol commercial areas and housing complexes. Police spokesman Paul Bishop predicted the patrols could roll onto the streets before the month’s end.

A Slipped Disk Shifts the Vote

The approval marks a quick turnaround for the proposal, which had failed just two weeks prior due to a political gridlock.

• The Failed Vote: Two weeks ago, the proposal failed on a 2-2 vote. Selectman Thomas Riolo was home at the time suffering from a slipped disk.
• The Revival: Riolo had promised to revive the proposal upon his return. Last night he delivered, casting the decisive vote and securing the program’s approval in less than a minute without any discussion.
• The Board’s Split: Selectmen John Kinnaly and Timothy McDonough sided with Riolo in favor of the plan. Chairman Gary Lee and Selectman William Butters reaffirmed their strict opposition.

Selectman Butters remained highly skeptical of the initiative even after the vote concluded.

“It’s a good thing we got away from having two patrolmen in a vehicle, or we would have had to have bicycles built for two. Maybe we can ridicule the whole program into oblivion.” — Selectman William Butters

The New Look & Equipment

With the selectmen’s blessing secured, the police department plans to immediately start seeking donations of money or goods from the public for the bikes and gear.

The “Cutting Edge” of Community Policing

Chief DiBlasi has championed the bicycle patrols as an innovative concept that will keep the Norwood police “on the cutting edge of community policing.”

While Norwood has utilized traditional foot patrols for more than 30 years, Bishop noted that the new bike patrols will effectively replace officers on foot. They will primarily target elderly housing areas, apartment complexes, and crowded commercial neighborhoods where cruisers have difficulty navigating.

“People will be glad to see them,” Selectman Riolo said. “I think it shows good will. It’s good public relations.”

A Growing Regional Trend

Norwood is joining a rapidly growing list of Massachusetts communities adopting the strategy:

• Boston and Waltham have both successfully launched bike patrols recently.
• Scituate plans to deploy bicycle officers to its coastal neighborhoods and harbor areas within the next two weeks.

The Patriot Ledger | Thursday, June 3, 1993

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