Bicycle Patrol Instructor
Bicycle Patrol Instructor
Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety
40 Hours
CCN: 4180-23830
Rev. 10/2022
Course Goal: Learn how to host and instruct a Basic Patrol Course
Course Objectives: To enhance the student’s ability to ride a bike, gain the
knowledge on how to teach fundamental riding skills, and provide a
foundation which will allow them to instruct their own multi-day course to
officers in their department and region.
Minimum Topics: Topics discussed in this course will include:
1. Bicycle Equipment and Maintenance
2. Bicycle Fit and Rider Equipment
3. Beginning and Advanced Group Formation Riding Protocol
4. Riding safely among Vehicles and Pedestrians
5. Slow speed / Technical Riding Skill Development
6. Cone pattern set-ups and riding obstacles/stairs
7. Vehicle /Pedestrian Contacts and Bike Pursuits
8. Urban and Off-Road Riding Skills
9. Long Distance / Confidence Ride Essentials
10. Obstacle Course set-up and testing
11. Fundamental and Advanced Nutrition
12. Instructor Presentational Skills and Learning Concepts
Student Learning Activities and Methods of Evaluation:
Students will be taught through a series of short verbal explanations on each
topic through physical demonstrations and verbal presentations.
Classroom and on-site physical skill presentations on a variety of topics will be
assigned and given by the students. Written outlines will be required. Evaluation
will be done by instructors with additional feedback from students. Positive and
negative aspects of presentations will be written and provided to students.
Students will undergo observation of their ability to perform physical tasks with
instant feedback and repetition until the skills are completed satisfactorily. The
roles will then be reversed. The student will teach the instructor through
explanation, demonstration, repetition, and instant feedback.
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Revision Date: 10/2022
Bicycle Patrol Instructor
Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety
40 Hours
CCN: 4180-23830
Rev. 10/2022
I. Opening Remarks/Classroom Orientation/Safety Brief
A. Registration
1. POST roster and resume
a. POST 2-111 Course Roster
b. POST 2-112 Instructor Resume
B. Instructor and Student Introductions
1. Law Enforcement Experience
2. Prior Bike Training and Experience
3. Expectations and Goals
4. Objectives of Class
a. Must pass timed course
b. Student presentations and teach backs
5. History and Evolution of Instructor Course
6. Time of year and weather considerations
II. Legal Aspects
A. Legal Aspects
1. Discuss PC 835a as it relates to conducting enforcement from a bike.
2. Discuss relevant laws and liability concerns related to conducting law
enforcement from a bike
III. Bicycle Equipment and Maintenance
A. Bike specifications and Equipment costs
1. Manufacturers and Bike Builds
2. Direct Purchase and On-Line Shops
3. Credit Card and Purchase Orders
4. Timing of Orders
5. Helmet and Glove Sizing for Students
B. Add-on Equipment
1. Carriers
2. Bags
3. Lights
4. Siren
5. Tools
C. Shop Set-up and Bike Stands
1. Maintenance Program and Repairs
a. In-house repairs
b. Bike shop repairs
c. Cleaning solutions and lubricants
d. Basic and advanced mechanical issues
2. Shop stands
3. Mobile stands
D. Pre-Ride Inspection
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Revision Date: 10/2022
Bicycle Patrol Instructor
Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety
40 Hours
CCN: 4180-23830
Rev. 10/2022
1. Air
2. Brakes
3. Cranks
4. Quick Release
IV. Bicycle Fit and Rider Equipment
A. Bike numbering
1. Location
2. Number by bike size
B. Student bike fit
1. Overall height
2. Inseam
C. Bike adjustments
1. Seat
a. Height
b. Fore and aft adjustment
D. Handlebar and stem adjustments
1. Pedal selection
a. Flat
b. Clip-on
c. Clipless
E. Uniform Specs
1. Helmets
2. Gloves
3. Glasses
4. Shoes
5. Vest
a. Standard Vest
b. External Carrier
6. Shirts
7. Bottoms
a. Shorts
b. Pants
c. Convertible zip-off pants
V. Beginning and Advanced Group Formation Riding Protocol
A. Columns of Two vs Columns of One
1. Speeds
2. Spacing between students
3. Hand signals vs. verbal communication
B. Class Size
C. Instructor Placement
D. Road Guards
E. Sag Wagon
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Revision Date: 10/2022
Bicycle Patrol Instructor
Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety
40 Hours
CCN: 4180-23830
Rev. 10/2022
VI. Riding safely among Vehicles and Pedestrians
A. Road
1. Moving Vehicles
2. Parked Vehicles
3. Stopped Vehicles
B. Trails and Sidewalks
1. Hikers
2. Bikers
3. Passing etiquette
4. Signaling
a. Siren
b. Hand
c. Verbal
VII. Slow speed / Technical Riding Skill Development
A. Balance Drills
B. Stopped
C. Seat height
1. Foot angle
D. Board riding
E. Curb Bump
F. How slow can you go? Side by side drills
G. Single track
1. Uphill
2. Downhill
H. Weight transfer drill
VIII. Cone pattern set-ups and riding obstacles/stairs
A. Students will be provided instruction on how to set up and run through
various cone patterns and obstacles including:
1. Slalom
2. Off-set slalom
3. Figure 8
a. Two cones
b. Full cone circle
4. U-turn
5. Limbo bar
6. Power slide
7. Emergency breaking
8. Star
9. M-drill
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Revision Date: 10/2022
Bicycle Patrol Instructor
Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety
40 Hours
CCN: 4180-23830
Rev. 10/2022
10. Boards
11. Pallets
12. Teeter-Totter
13. Stairs
a. Up three
b. Down three
14. Adjustable bunny hop pole
15. Curb hop
16. Head-turn
B. Students will break into groups and teach other groups how to complete
the courses.
IX. Vehicle /Pedestrian Contacts and Bike Pursuits
A. Consensual contact
B. Reasonable suspicion
C. Wanted suspects
D. Number of officers involved
1. Solo officer
2. Two officers
3. Bike team operation
E. Enforcement lights and siren
F. Commands
1. Verbal
2. Non-verbal
G. Dismounting
1. Distance from subject
2. Vehicles
3. Parking Lot
4. Stopped traffic
X. Urban and Off-Road Riding Skills
A. Rules of the road and trail
1. Students will be provided an overview of bicycle laws and general
rules of the road and trail. These include:
a. Right of way
b. Passing
c. California bicycle law review
d. Turning maneuvers
e. Spacing between riders
f. Sharing the road
B. Hazards
1. Students will be taught about various hazards bicycle riders can
encounter while riding and how to best navigate them.
a. Night
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Revision Date: 10/2022
Bicycle Patrol Instructor
Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety
40 Hours
CCN: 4180-23830
Rev. 10/2022
b. Day
c. Gravel
d. Sand
e. Wet pavement
f. Fire road
2. Students will be taught how to adjust their bicycle to fit themselves
and the type of riding they will be doing.
a. Seat height
i. Technical riding
ii. Distance riding
XI. Long Distance / Confidence Ride Essentials
A. Review confidence ride essentials and how to plan for a long distance/
confidence ride.
1. Sag Wagon support vehicle set-up
2. Course distance and destination
3. Nutritional concerns
4. Break Intervals and duration
5. Bathroom availability
6. Hill climb challenge
7. Lunch
a. Eat-out
b. Food delivery
c. Take-out
d. Packed lunch
B. Students will plan, prepare for and take a long distance/ confidence
ride.
XII. Obstacle Course Set-up and Testing
A. Students will learn about different obstacle courses and then break out
into small groups to prepare a course and teach back to other groups.
1. Short course
2. Distance
3. Circular
4. Out and Back
5. Solo officer
6. Timed testing
7. Long course
8. Dual slalom team event
9. Course distance
a. Short
i. 3-5 minutes
b. Long
i. 6-8 minutes
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Revision Date: 10/2022
Bicycle Patrol Instructor
Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety
40 Hours
CCN: 4180-23830
Rev. 10/2022
XIII. Fundamental and Advanced Nutrition
A. General nutrition needs
B. Caloric requirements
C. Food choices
D. Whole Food vs. Liquified
E. Breville
F. Vitamix
G. Pre-Ride
H. In-Ride nutrition options
1. Gels
2. Bars
I. Ride duration
J. Hydration
K. Electrolyte requirements
1. Pills
2. Tablets
3. Pre-made drink mix
XIV. Instructor Presentational Skills and Learning Concepts
A. Learning Concepts
1. Students will be instructed on the learning concepts and basic
components which make up an effective course.
a. Elective Topics
b. Presentation methods
i. Power Point
ii. Verbal Explanation
c. Photos
d. Videos
e. Props
f. Duration
i. Breaks
g. Hand-outs
h. Demonstrations
i. Student Interaction
B. Students will break into small groups and teach a small section of the
course to the group using at least 2 learning concepts.
XV. Testing/ remediation
1. Verbal quiz
2. Written quiz
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Revision Date: 10/2022