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Chicago Police Expand Bike Patrols Citywide

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Hundreds of fancy new bicycles equipped with sirens and lights are on the streets of Chicago today.

But police officers say their new bikes are about more than just fighting crime, reports CBS 2's Marissa Bailey.

"Community policing is a core piece of the strategy and officers who are on bicycles are more likely to stop and engage the residents," said Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

And now bike cops will be all over the city of Chicago.

Englewood mother Natasha Hall says she feels more comfortable with police officers out of the cars.

"So when we see a police officer riding down the street, we can say, 'Hello how are you?' compared to them being in the car just driving by," Hall said.

The new bikes are all identical with lights and sirens. Officers say they like them.

"If someone runs on us, they'll get tired a lot faster than us," said Sgt. Leonard Shoshi. "As soon as they get tired, they stop... we place them into custody and charge them accordingly."

Superintendent Garry McCarthy says he also hopes new bike patrols help police officers connect with their communities.

"When I've spoken to a lot of our African American officers, they tell stories about losing a lot of friends when they became police officers and at the end of the day that has to be overcome," McCarthy said.

CBS 2 asked the Chicago Police Department to provide some numbers to prove that crime is down in areas with bike patrols. We were told they didn't have them and that this program is more about preventing crime than stopping it in progress.

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