South Burlington police to hire bike-riding patrollers

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - South Burlington residents might see bike patrols around town this summer. The city and the police department are hiring two bike patrollers.

Police Chief Shawn Burke said the position is similar to Burlington’s park rangers who were added last summer.

He said it’s a less-than-full certified officer position but would serve as the eyes and ears of the department in parks and other areas.

“A uniform presence in the parks, and that ambient deterrent will definitely address any aberrant behavior that we do see, we’re not seeing any high level of criminality. And again, it doesn’t take a full-service police officer to take a report of an incident of vandalism. It certainly doesn’t take a full-service police officer to call for medical assistance for someone that’s suffered a crash or a fall on the path,” Burke said.

The positions are paid and the funding is coming from the city’s general fund budget which was approved on Town Meeting Day.

Chief Burke said this is a way to tap into a recruitment pool of people potentially interested in becoming officers, noting the department could use more officers to help staff it.

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