Deputies turn to two wheels on trails

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. - The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is dealing with a crime problem and a math problem.

The crime problem is that kids from gangs are hanging out on the Upper Tampa Bay Trail and the Town ‘N’ County Greenway, causing trouble and tagging the walls with graffiti.

“The trail is meant for recreation and families, and the gang members are taking away from that,” said deputy Jonathan Lord with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

The math problem is that a Crown Victoria, which is the vehicle used by the sheriff’s office, is about six feet wide. The trail is about 15 feet wide. That means the car doesn’t fit on the trail, considering there are bikers, skaters, walkers and runners also on the trail.

“We can’t get a patrol car out on the trail,” admits deputy Ryan Weidler from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

The solution to both problems is having Lord and Weidler patrol the trail on bikes. They have been doing it for about a year and say it has successfully curbed crime.

The bikes have proven to be an asset in such a tight area.

“It’s more effective than having a car,” Weidler said. “(It works in) tight areas, tight corners, if we need to go through the woods, if we’re chasing somebody.”

ABC Action News did ask what happens if someone the deputies are chasing jumps into a car. They certainly can’t keep up on the bike and the person might get away.

Weidler counters that the deputies in vehicles are made aware of where the bike cops are located. If a suspect jumps in a car, Weidler said they notify the deputies in a vehicle to continue the pursuit.