Atlanta police launch 15 new e-bikes along Beltline trail
Atlanta police add 15 e-bikes to Beltline fleet
Atlanta Police Department officers added 15 new e-bikes to patrol the Atlanta Beltline and cut response times.
ATLANTA - Atlanta Police are rolling out a fleet of 15 new e-bikes along the Beltline this weekend to help decrease emergency response times and make long patrol shifts easier on officers.
What we know:
The department purchased 15 new Aventon e-bikes using its standard budget, with each bicycle costing just under $2,000.
Officers said the e-bikes can travel up to 28 mph and cover 80 miles on a single battery charge.
The e-bikes were assembled locally in Atlanta's West End by young adults in the Career Accelerator Program at Bearings Bike Works. Mechanics supervised the assembly process for the new fleet.
Why you should care:
The electric boost allows officers to cover far more distance along the trail without exhausting themselves during their shifts, which can last 12 hours.
Officials said the faster speeds will help officers respond quicker to calls for help along the busy trail network.
What they're saying:
"These bikes will greatly assist our officers in their response time to the calls, as well as being able to operate on the bicycles for their 10-and-12-hour shifts, which is very exhausting," Lt. Armando Silva II said.
Officer Michael Walker said he tested several brands before selecting these models based on performance, features, and cost.
"I fell in love with these," Walker said.
"For us, having the officers equipped with what we know are just going to be such a powerful tool and resource for them was just a neat thing to jump in on," Bearings Bike Works co-founder Becky O'Mara said.
What's next:
Police plan to add flashing red and blue lights to the e-bikes, so officers remain visible while patrolling during darker hours.
The department plans to slowly phase out traditional pedal bikes, keeping a few on hand as backups while adding more e-bikes to the fleet over time.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Rey Llerena, who reported live from the Eastside Trail in Old Fourth Ward, as well as interviews provided by Atlanta Police Lt. Armando Silva II, Officer Michael Walker, Maj. Jeffrey Cantin and Bearings Bike Works co-founder Becky O'Mara.