Chapel Hill police officer patrols downtown on bicycle

When he aspired to work in criminal justice, officer Jason Bellavance never expected he would enforce the law on two wheels.

“It’s fun because it’s kind of like getting paid to work out,” said Bellavance, who works as a bicycle officer for the Chapel Hill Police Department. “I like being outside. I don’t like being confined to a car all day long.”

Bellavance is one of nine officers on bicycles that patrol the downtown area. He said talking to people, even if they’re not in trouble, is a big part of his job.

“A lot of times when you’re in your car, you only get to get out and talk to people when something’s wrong,” Bellavance said. “You don’t get to talk to people in normal, everyday conversations.

“Down here you’re just walking up and down the streets, or you’re on the bicycle. You get to wave at people.”

After graduating from East Carolina University with a degree in criminal justice, Bellavance attended a police academy in Greenville. He got his first job as an officer in Chapel Hill.

“I wanted to go to areas where people were not allowed to go, figure out what was always going on,” said Bellavance, who has always aspired to be a police officer.

Bellavance worked on regular patrol for about three years before applying for the downtown unit. The 29-year-old has been a self-proclaimed “bike cop” for about four years.

“He’s very proactive on his bike,” said officer Chris King, who sometimes patrols on a bicycle. “He rides more than anybody in the unit, by choice.”

Officers on bicycles patrol what Lt. Donald Bradley called the “central business district” between Columbia Street and Graham Street.

Bradley said the main benefit of using bicycles is officers can get to places more quickly than on foot and can get through traffic and alleys. Bicycles are also quieter than squad cars.

“With sirens and alarms, people know you’re coming,” Bradley said. “The bicycle is more of a stealth mode in arriving.”

But the benefits of police bicycles do come with some drawbacks.

Bellavance said he has to call for an officer with a vehicle to arrest people.

“We can’t handcuff them to the bike and walk them,” he said.

Bellavance, who often works from 3:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m., said some of his most memorable experiences involve intoxicated people.

“You get some bicycle people leaving the bars and weaving in and out of traffic,” Bellavance said. “(One) ended up crashing their bike.

“They were heavily intoxicated, and they ended up getting a DWI on the bicycle.”

And despite the alcohol-related crimes inherent to a college town, Bellavance said he enjoys working in Chapel Hill.

“I like the kind of colors you get.”

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.