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Lebanon Valley Bicycle Coalition gives $13,000 to city police for ebike patrol
Summary
The Lebanon Valley Bicycle Coalition donated $13,000 to upgrade Lebanon City's bicycle unit; the mayor and police chief described purchases, training and early patrol results, including a July 7 detail where officers on ebikes assisted in a firearm seizure.
The Lebanon Valley Bicycle Coalition donated $13,000 to Lebanon City to modernize the police bicycle unit, Mayor Sherry Alcopello told council, and the city formally recognized the coalition at the meeting.
"The Bicycle Coalition has donated $13,000 towards the cost of modernizing and upgrading our bicycle unit," Mayor Sherry Alcopello said. Coalition president Dean Aachenbach said the money came from the Tour de Lebanon Valley fundraiser and that the donation was intended to encourage safer ridership and better community interactions.
Police officials described how the gift was spent. The city purchased two Electric Summit 2 ebikes from Deluxe Bikes, outfitted officers with new uniforms and safety gear, and paid for a certification course in Allentown. "It now brings our bicycle patrol officers to a total of 4, with 3 ebikes and 1 regular pedal bike," the police chief said, adding that the unit deployed three bikes for a July 7 train-detail assignment.
Officers said ebikes allow greater outreach and quicker response without lights and sirens. "We did have an arrest where a firearm was seized, and the bikes were a great part of that," the police chief said, describing one early operational success during rail-trail patrols.
Coalition leaders and the mayor framed the donation as a community partnership. Dean Aachenbach said the coalition's fundraising and outreach promote helmet use, lawful riding and public education: "We try to lead rides and things like that so people can see, positive ridership with helmets on the right side, not on the sidewalks."
Council members asked about training and battery life; the chief said the certification was a weeklong course run by the Allentown Police Department and officers reported averaging 20 to 25 miles per shift on patrol. The mayor said additional funds would equip ebikes with lights and a siren package.
The donation will appear on the council agenda for formal recognition; no vote was required to accept the gift.
