Las Vegas marshals take to ‘bikes’ in city’s parks, trails

A handful of Las Vegas marshals will start patrolling the city’s parks and trails on two wheels, city officials announced Monday.

The pilot program consists of six marshals who will test four motorbikes: Two are standard, small-engine motorcycles that City Manager Betsy Fretwell said are three-times more fuel efficient than standard police cruisers. The other two are fully electric and get between 35 and 80 miles per charge, she said at a Lorenzi Park news conference.

Fifty-nine marshals patrol the city’s 67 parks and trail systems throughout the valley, typically responding to reports of graffiti, copper wire theft and fights.

In cases of more serious or violent crime, the marshals will often call for the Metropolitan Police Department to help.

The marshals plan to monitor the usage and efficiency of the bikes over the next year or so, said Michele Freeman, chief of enforcement and detention.

Having the ability to ride through the parks and trails faster than by foot should help marshals combat graffiti and copper-wire theft, the city’s two most common park problems, she said.

Freeman said the project was not in reaction to any uptick in crime or specific incidents.

“It was something proactive,” she said. “There was nothing that prompted us other than wanting to provide the community the best service possible.”

The cost of the four bikes, which are outfitted with the usual police lights and sirens among other bells and whistles, was about $62,000, according to Freeman.

While the two-wheeled marshals will mostly be patrolling the parks and trails, Freeman said people shouldn’t be surprised to see them riding in Downtown Las Vegas or during larger special events in the city.

Contact Colton Lochhead at clochhead@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638. Find @ColtonLochhead on Twitter.