Enforcement & Safety

City of Carrollton, Georgia, Police Department, Bike Unit

The Bike Unit was established on December 14, 1994 in an effort to move the Department towards Community Policing. At the present time, the unit consists of a Sergeant and three Patrolmen. The main task of the Bike Unit is to perform Community and Problem Oriented Policing. This involves establishing lines of communication between the Police Department and the community to identify and address problem areas in an effort to seek solutions that will improve the overall quality of life within the City of Carrollton.

December 22, 1994 – First mention of Bike Cops! Times-Georgian courtesy of the Neva Lomason Memorial Library in Carrollton
December 18, 1994 – Column on community policing that mentions the formation of the bike unit. Times-Georgian courtesy of the Neva Lomason Memorial Library in Carrollton


E1 – E3.

E1. How does your police department interact with the local cycling community?

Safe Routes to School

Police Officers offer instructions on helmet fit during a Safe Routes to School event and distribute Safety Brochures.

They also answer questions from the crowd and talk about getting to and from school safely.

Helmets R Cool

Bicycle events & rides:

Police assisting in 2016 Georgia Trail Summit (held in Carrollton), escorting the riders on their bike ride:

Annual Safety class conducted by police @ Tour de Carroll:

Tour de Carroll safety presentation. The have attracted about 125 riders each year in its four year history. Photo: FoCGB

Special presentation during the 2016 Georgia Trail Summit:

  • Program
  • Times-Georgian: As for the sessions, the only presentation that received a 100 percent excellent rating for its content was “Keeping Carrollton’s GreenBelt Safe and Well Maintained” by the Carrollton Police Department. Others averaged 80 percent favorable.
  • Content of the presentation: City of Carrollton bicycle police officers share their experiences with mobile trail patrols to increase public safety on the Carrollton GreenBelt. Trail management, good maintenance and public programming will also be discussed.

E3. What other public or private bicycle safety programs are in place?

Bikes, Helmet & Lights give-aways:

  • SRTS Events – each participant gets a reflector light with a battery operate beacon to attach to a backpack.
  • Shop with a Cop:

A special Christmas: Kids get to shop with a cop

Fifty-eight kids were served by the program, with nearly $12,000 raised, Potts said. The money came from several fundraisers throughout the year, as well as donations, with the primary fundraiser being the Fraternal Order of Police rodeo, held each June.

Bike Rodeo – Source: Carrollton PD Facebook

In addition to the $200 shopping trip, each child was given a bicycle and a chance to visit with Santa, after having breakfast provided by the police department.

Shop with a Cop event – each child received a bicycle. Photo credit: David Patten / Times-Georgian

E7 – E8.

E7. Which of the following bicycle-related enforcement practices exist in the community?

Positive enforcement ticketing – Most of the time a written warning is given, however if needed be, based on Officers discretion, citations have been issued.


More on Bike Unit:

    • Responding to community needs:“Two weeks ago I called and left a message with officer Potts about the speeding on my street. A day later he came out to my house and asked me questions and I told him that there were no speed limit signs posted and I also told him that I had small children that played in the yard and there is also a daycare on my street. He was so nice and even gave my children a police badge sticker. He gave me his word he would get speed limit signs posted and do his best to get more patrols in the area to watch for speeders. I noticed on my way home from work last night that there are speed limit signs posted on each end of the road that says speed limit 25 mph and even an extra sign that says, slow children at play!! I can not express how much this means to me. His promptness in the matter and that he really listened to my concerns and the safety of my children. I just hope the drivers on my street will actually follow the speed limit now. Thank you officer Potts and Carrollton police department for ensuring our streets and children are safe and doing what you can to listen to your citizens to get the job done. It meant a lot to me!”
    • More community involvement:

Carrollton Police Bike Unit helped Gussie Mae Powell celebrate her 86th birthday!

Bike Unit!

“Happy Birthday Gussie Mae!! And the three officers in middle are the best! They stand outside our kids’ schools every school day in even the worst weather to keep traffic moving smoothly! Thanks!”


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