Officers set to patrol Las Vegas recreation areas on motorcycles

By Jackie Valley

Monday, March 21, 2016 | 5:16 p.m.

Expect to see motorcycle officers patrolling Las Vegas parks and trails soon.

The city of Las Vegas announced Monday that it has formed a full-time, four-person team of Detention and Enforcement officers who will traverse outdoor recreational areas aboard motorcycles.

The pilot program is aimed at increasing safety at larger regional parks, trails and special events and in downtown spaces, officials said. The four full-time officers and two alternates will be driving either an electric Zero Motorcycle or a Suzuki DR-Z400, a lightweight, gas-powered motorcycle.

During the pilot phase, the two types of motorcycles will be compared to see which works better in terms of mileage, ride and performance. City officials expect the motorcycles will be easier for officers to maneuver through parks, trails and crowds.

The motorcycles have been tested at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, where officers say they have caught teenagers causing problems. The initial rollout of the program began in mid-January, officials said.

Officers typically respond to crimes involving the violation of park rules, such as open containers of alcohol, suspicious vehicles or people, and people lingering in the park after hours, said Detention and Enforcement Chief Michele Freeman. Graffiti is another problem that has long plagued city parks, and copper wire thefts have become a more recent nuisance, she said.

The motorcycles, officials said, will help officers nab wrongdoers given that many of these crimes occur in less-visible areas of the parks.