Stories from Tri-City News headlines of decades past is a recurring feature as the publication approaches its 40th anniversary in 2024.
Thirty years ago, the idea of police officers riding their beat atop mountain bikes was still a relatively new and novel idea.
But in the two years since Coquitlam RCMP initiated a four-member bike unit in 1991, it had already proven itself to be an effective tool to combat crime in places like parkades, parks and rural areas.
In fact, according to one of the mounted officers profiled in a Tri-City News feature in 1993, the stealth and maneuverability of the Rocky Mountain bikes they were riding sometimes allowed them to even interrupt crimes in progress, like a fraud at a local branch of the Bank of Montreal.
They're also a great public relations tool, said Const. Chris Hughes.
"People say, 'Oh gee, thanks a lot.' Or if they were in trouble we could get there a lot faster."
Equipped with Spandex bike shorts, stretch jerseys, cycling shoes, jackets and helmets emblazoned with POLICE in bold, capital letters, as well as whistles instead of sirens, the bike officers patrol from mid-May to late September.
But, said Cpl. Jim McVey, budgetary constraints prevented the unit from operating year-round or enlarging its contingent.
The Tri-City News has covered civic affairs, local crime, festivals, events, personalities, sports and arts in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody since 1983. Bound back issues of the paper are available at the Coquitlam Archives, while digital versions of several past years can be found at issuu.com.
