Moorhead Police Officers Put Their Bikes to Work

BEING ON TWO WHEELS HELPS THEM SEE AND HEAR THINGS THEY MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE

MOORHEAD, Minn. — A husband and wife team shares more than just a last name. Ofc. Nick and Ofc. Katie Schultz also share a place on the Moorhead Police Bike Patrol squad during the summer.

“So we’ll usually bike during the day around five, six hours, most of the day. And then in the evening hours, our night time hours, our officers will ride too. That’s usually about four to five hours as well,” said Ofc. Katie Schultz.

They say being on two wheels helps them maneuver more easily and catch things they wouldn’t be able to in a car, especially in the dark.

“I think at night we have a huge advantage because you really can’t see, especially when we’re in neighborhoods, that we’re riding around. People aren’t expecting it,” she said.

But being on bikes not only allows officers to move around more easily, it also makes their relationships with people from the community even stronger.

“Kids will come up to us all the time and think it’s the most interesting thing in the world. They want to ride on the bike, they want to see the lights,” said Ofc. Nick Schultz.

Not everyone is qualified to be on bike patrol duty, though. There is an application process and a five-day training period to go through first.

“One of the drills that we teach in the course is having students ride about a mile as fast and as hard as they can and then go up to our firing line and shoot their guns, and they see how hard it is to even just get off the bike and stand without falling. Hold a gun, you’re shaking, breathing heavy. It’s real hard,” he said.

And it’s not just difficult for those still in training. The long bike rides can be tough on these officers as well. Sometimes, they simply need a moment to recoup.

“Take a break, find some shade, drink some water.”

But once they’re back up and running, it’s back to duty: one they wouldn’t trade for the world.

“I’m working right now, and I’m riding a bike around town. I mean, it’s fun,” said Ofc. Katie.

There are currently 16 certified instructors in Minnesota who can train bike officers, with Ofcs. Nick and Katie Schultz being two of them.