From the Norman Transcript comes news of an unusual mountain biking competition, one limited to police officers:
The Norman Police Department hosted the first police mountain bike competition to be held in Oklahoma Sept. 30. Thirty law enforcement officers from eight different agencies participated, including one officer from Hamburg, Germany.
The purpose of the event was to provide a forum for law enforcement mountain bike officers from around the state to share ideas about training, equipment and deployment. Basic and advanced handling skills, balance and physical conditioning were tested using a variety of obstacle course and races.
The overall team champion was the Oklahoma City Police Department, represented by sergeants Stephen Smith and Kevin Gray. The two took the honors after finishing first place in three out of the five events.
Also recognized was Master Officer Russell Hansel from the Altus Police Department, who took first place in the individual skills course.
Learn more about the topic of law enforcement officers on bicycles from the International Police Mountain Bike Association (IPMBA), a non-profit educational organization providing resources, networking opportunities, and the best, most complete training for public safety bicyclists.
