Downtown Businesses Worry After Bicycle Police Get the Ax

ROCKFORD - Worry is growing amongst downtown Rockford business owners after they find out the police patrol that monitors their neighborhood on bicycle is getting the ax.  The daytime M3 bicycle patrol will be disbanded by January 21^st.  Those business owners say they understand the situation the police department is in, but they add the issue certainly isn't going to help a recovering downtown.

Crystal Douglas set up her coffee shop, Wired Caf, in Rockford's downtown area.  She says she set it up there because she liked the urban setting and felt at ease with an on-the-street police presence.

"I've had different customers come in and say that they feel comfortable knowing that they're down here, that they have a presence," said Douglas referencing the M3 daytime patrol. 

"You see them ride by and people wave at them."

Now with the patrol disbanding, Douglas is now worried for her patrons and her own safety.

"A young kid held a gun to a girl and took some of her money," said Douglas.  "It was the police, the bicycle unit, that found him."

Rockford's police union labor representative, Doug Block says the move comes as a product of reshuffling of staff while filling the other holes in the RPD force.

"The nightshift M3 is going to still be together," said Block.  "But the day shift one will be disbanded temporarily until the department's brought up to where our manpower strength is better."

Block says although the disbanding is "temporary," he's doesn't see the patrol coming back in the near future.  He says he believes the lack of officers stems from the police department's testing procedures.  Block comments that he doesn't understand how hundreds can apply to be officers, yet only a handful actually gets the job.

"I have requested as a labor rep, information from the fire and police commission on their testing," said Block.

"It seems awful suspicious to us that we can't get a hiring list of qualified candidates."