Community helps buy new bikes for Blackfoot Police

The Blackfoot Police Department’s bicycle fleet just got new wheels.

Several local businesses came together to help upgrade the bike patrol officers’ equipment, donating more than $15,000 to purchase eight brand-new Specialized bikes.

The bikes were presented on Tuesday, Sept. 3 at the Eastern Idaho State Fair.

Idaho Central Credit Union, Bingham Healthcare, Nonpareil-Idaho Potato Packers Corp. and Spudnik all contributed to the purchase. Bill’s Bike Shop & Run provided the bikes and safety equipment for the officers, which made the total purchase closer to $20,000.

“Having new bikes is extremely important for the safety and security of our officers,” says Ray Jewett, Blackfoot police officer in charge of the bike patrol program. “Bikes allow our officers to be more visible to the public and explore areas that police cars are unable to get to–keeping a watchful eye for suspicious activity.”

According to the Blackfoot chief of police, Scott Gay, police officers are able to interact with the community more when they’re on bikes. The bike patrol program will allow the officers to better explore the Jensen’s Grove area and the Eastern Idaho State Fair.

“I think it’s very important we remember that here in Blackfoot we can still walk down the streets safely. This contribution is another way for us to continue to help have our community be safe,” said Roger Stott, the Blackfoot branch manager of ICCU.

Jewett and his wife Valerie were instrumental in organizing this donation. Valerie is an employee of Bingham Healthcare.

“She identified a really important need in our bike patrol and organized this whole thing,” said Jericho Cline, director of marketing and public relations at Bingham Healthcare.

Jewett joined the force in June and saw a need for an equipment update.

“In less than three months, we got brand-new bikes, so I gotta take my hat off to Ray,” Gay said.

The Blackfoot Police Department is still looking to expand their bicycle fleet. If you are interested in contributing, donations can be made to the Blackfoot Police Department.

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