The Ottawa police bike patrol is often seen at the city's festivals moving easily through a crowd, providing a good example of the power of community policing.

Dressed in shorts, these officers present a relatively benign face to the public, which is usually enjoying a sunny day in a park or street-side cafe.

But don't kid yourselves, these are still officers of the law and just recently they demonstrated their effectiveness.

Ottawa's bicycle-mounted police are a valuable part of the force, as a team of them proved the other day by running down suspects who were in a van at the time.

Mike Carroccetto, The Ottawa Citizen

Two officers rolled up to a suspicious-looking van parked near the Byward Market. When the vehicle took off, the officers were able to manoeuvre through the crowded streets of the area and when the men fled the van as it was snarled in traffic, they arrested them.

Changing urban environments force agencies of government to be adaptable to differing situations.

As Ottawa's downtown core has become more congested, just simply dispatching a police car is often not the best solution.

Nor is a foot patrol necessarily the ideal response to a demonstration, for example, that is quickly developing into a serious situation.

But speed and accessibility are achieved by a bicycle and that was very much on display this week. The bikes are also very quiet, allowing officers to approach criminals without being detected.

The bicycle patrol officers provide an excellent example of the value of physical fitness and above all, deliver effective law enforcement.

© The Ottawa Citizen 2007

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