West Island police using fat bikes to patrol tough terrain
Police in Montreal’s West Island have adopted a new way of patrolling dense forests and snowed-out trails.
Officers in Kirkland are riding fat bikes.
“A fat bike is like a regular bike but with fat tires. So the tires are actually bigger and wider. These tires are four and a half inches wide,” says Olivier Archambault, a Montreal police officer.
The station is expanding its fleet of the specialized officers, who can weave through dense brush and icy terrain to administer first aid.
“We have the snow shoes which help us to walk in the woods if we need to go off the trails, we’ve got first aid kits, we’ve got some plans and maps of the different parks in the area,” says Archambault.
About 40 per cent of the area they patrol comprises parks, fields and forests—some too dense for a police car or an ATV.
Archambault and Sylvain Brousseau were the first officers in Montreal to pick up the novel form of transportation and now patrol the forests every day.
“When someone calls 911, in snowy conditions like today, and they’re experiencing hypothermia, someone on a fat bike can get to them more easily,” says Brousseau.
The bikes are also helpful when searching for a missing person because they can access forested areas where other officers may not go.
Brousseau says he hopes this initiative will help change a common belief among residents that police won’t venture into the woods.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.