FULTON – The Fulton Police Department’s Bike Patrol and K-9 unit are making a difference in both department effectiveness and bringing officers closer to the community they serve, according to Mayor Deana Michaels.
“When there’s a special event, like our Fall Festival, our bike patrol officers are there with the public to assist and protect them,” Michaels said. “And when it comes to tracking a suspect or clearing a building, nothing compares to the effectiveness of our K-9 unit. We are proud and grateful to have their services, as well as the commitment and diligence of all the men and women who serve in the Fulton P.D.”
“I’m from Fulton and became a police officer because I like helping people and doing meaningful work to make someone’s day better,” said Patrolman Tracie Murphy, a Fulton P.D. bike officer.
At this past Big Truck Day, she was able to help reunite a mom with her two lost children.
“The event is congested with people and large equipment,” Murphy said. “It was so much easier and efficient to look for the children on my bike than on foot or with a cruiser. It really warmed my heart to find the two missing kids and bring them back to their mom.”
Fulton Deputy Police Chief Mike Curtis, also a former bike patrol officer, said the bike patrol was invaluable in covering multiple intersections during the Memorial Day Salute parade.
“They provide a fast response and it’s so much easier to cover the area,” Curtis said. “Right now, the bike patrol is an excellent way for us to promote good community relations at events like the parade, Tunes In June, and the upcoming Fall Festival.”
According to Police 1 news agency, the presence of bike patrols offers a high-visibility and proactive community policing presence. Bike officers are not restricted by four rolled-up windows. In-between calls for service, bike officers can meet with local business owners, clergy, citizens, and other stakeholders in the community. In addition, they can engage with kids at a park and patrol special events more effectively.
Officer Murphy has been a bike officer for a year and trained with the Oswego Fire Department. The course involved three, 10-hour days focused on specialized riding skills.
“I had to successfully navigate three different courses at high speed without knocking over any cones as part of my final training,” Murphy said. “It’s a great feeling being out there and interacting with the people we serve.”
The department’s K-9 unit, which has been a regular part of the police force since 1986, has a similar community relations presence, but is much more focused on specialized police work, according to Curtis.
“They are used for everything from building searches and tracking subjects, to finding evidence and protecting their partner officer,” Curtis said.
According to Police Chief Magazine, “Anyone who has seen a K-9 team in action—and, these days, that’s just about anyone in law enforcement—knows that it doesn’t take a human to be a hero. Police department leaders regularly extol the virtues of police dogs, explaining that when it comes to detecting illegal substances, finding missing persons, or simply assisting in peace keeping, these highly trained animals do what people cannot.”
Patrolman David Hall is Fulton’s K-9 officer. He and his partner, Haas, a German Shepherd, work the midnight shift. Like officer Murphy, he is from Fulton and lives here.
“I’m very proud to be serving our community,” Hall said. “It’s important work and I believe Haas and I are making a positive difference.”
Recently, Hall and his partner successfully tracked several properties and recovered a knife used in a crime.
“We’ve also found wanted suspects inside buildings,” Hall said. “I always give them a warning before sending in Haas. Usually, they surrender without having to send him in.”
The team also clears out residences and businesses when there is a report of a break-in, suspicious activity, or other possible crime.
Hall said Haas will be certified in October as a narcotics dog. Haas came to the department in March, and he and Hall made their first patrol together on May 26.
“Haas is also certified by the Onondaga County Canine Group in tracking, patrol, apprehension, handler protection and article protection,” Hall said. “When we finish a shift, he stays with me and lives at my home in Fulton with my family.”
“In the future, when our staffing levels are higher, we’d like to use our bike officers them on regular patrols in the summer months,” Curtis said. “And as the capabilities of our K-9 unit grow, we’ll come to rely on them more than ever to help us with drug detection, searches, clearing buildings and other specialized training. Having these services helps Fulton have a well-rounded police department and gives us additional tools to protect our citizens.”
For more information on the Fulton Police Department at Fultonny.org.
