A pair of e-bikes are slated to cruise Oak Bay streets in search of both bad guys and good opportunities.
Council recently approved the 2022 Oak Bay Police Department budget that includes a pair of two-wheeled electric patrol units instead of one with four wheels. The bikes roll in at $10,000 of the department’s $5.6 million budget.
Officers are already trained and heavily use five mountain bikes for patrol. Traditional bikes, however, can limit how quickly an officer can get from one call to another.
RELATED: Oak Bay police push to add electric bikes to patrol fleet
Grateful to @DistrictOakBay Mayor & Council for approving our 2022 budget including our first 2 e-bikes. This will not only enable broader bike coverage in Oak Bay...but will increase our patrol time on bikes versus in cars. #visible #approachable #environmental pic.twitter.com/wpaw5aR7Ez
— Ray Bernoties (@ray_oak) November 30, 2021
The department also plans to track the impact electric bikes have on vehicle usage.
Adding the two e-bikes shifted another four-wheeled electric vehicle for another look in 2023. The department has one e-vehicle in its patrol fleet, and is committed to a full shift to electric.
The technology inside vehicles will also be replaced next year with five computers slated at $42,500.
The police budget now becomes one piece in the overall budget council will consider in the new year.
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