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The implementation of bike patrols has allowed officers an alternative patrol method for providing community-based service to the public. Training for these officers needs to keep up with their duties. This should include traditional firearms, defensive tactics and patrol procedures, tailored to the unique demands placed upon the bike officer.
In addition, bike officers benefit from exposure to crowd management techniques, nutrition, helmet and bike fit, impotency risks and first aid. This knowledge makes bike officers safer, more efficient and better able to meet the needs of the community.
The goal of the Law Enforcement Bicycle Association (LEBA) is to provide this type of training. LEBA offers three levels of nationally recognized training for bike officers. In an effort to make this quality of training available to more officers and agencies, LEBA holds Instructor Courses (train the trainer) annually. LEBA now has an international cadre of instructors, allowing for safe, professional bike officer techniques to be implemented and maintained in police agencies around the world. Safe, proven and updated training is essential for officers to maintain the excellence of service expected by the citizens they protect.
The latest LEBA Instructor Course was held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Right master instructors from across Canada and the United States brought their skills and knowledge to the Calgary Police Service Headquarters in order to certify new LEBA instructors from a pool of 16 candidates.
The first presentation was about safety: the safety that is demonstrated by all the instructors during any training exercise, the safety of the candidates, and the importance of safety in future instruction. No one rides a bike without a helmet, at any time, for any reason. This is the first of the rules that are strictly enforced at every LEBA course. After rules come the learning objectives.
To achieve instructor certification, candidates need to pass a written exam and practical skills test, deliver an assigned topic presentation and demonstrate acceptable physical fitness and professional conduct. A ride is scheduled for every day of training, and the abundant paths and bikeways in Calgary offered candidates and instructors the opportunity to increase their fitness and riding skills. Daily ride mileage would range from 10-30 miles, allowing ample time to hone group-riding skills, increase confidence and professionalism,...