MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — After a 20-year pause, the Moon Township Police Department is bringing back bicycle patrols along the Montour Trail. It’s a move aimed at improving safety, increasing visibility and reconnecting officers with the community.
The department is working to certify at least three officers for the mountain bike unit, which will officially relaunch during the township’s Fourth of July festivities.
The Montour Trail is a popular spot for walkers, runners, and cyclists, many of whom say they welcome the return of a visible police presence.
“It’s quiet, it’s paved — there’s no traffic,” said John Beighel, a regular trail user.
For residents like Matt Curran, the presence of officers on bikes is about peace of mind.
“Trail safety is obviously number one,” Curran said. “There are a ton of kids who love to ride bikes here with their families. I’d love to see more police out — anything that keeps the community safe.”
The renewed bike patrol program is part of a larger community policing effort, according to Moon Township Police Lieutenant Shener Ulke.
“We like the program from a community policing aspect,” Ulke said. “It puts our officers out in the public, meeting and greeting people in a non-threatening, non-intimidating platform.”
The relaunch follows a deadly incident last fall, when an off-duty liquor enforcement officer for PSP, Ben Brailler, was fatally stabbed by a homeless man along the trail. The suspect was later arrested and charged.
“With the couple of incidents they’ve had, it’s probably worth it,” Beighel said.
Beyond safety and visibility, bike patrols also offer practical advantages. Certain areas of the Montour Trail are difficult to reach by car, especially wooded sections where emergency access has been limited in the past.
“We’ve had people get hurt back there, and we’ve been limited in our response capabilities,” Ulke said. “We’re excited about the potential to respond faster and reach areas we couldn’t before.”
The department hopes to expand the program down the line. For now, the return of bike patrols is being seen as a positive step forward by both the department and the community.
“I think it’s a great idea,” Curran said.
The Montour Trail spans several municipalities. Robinson Township Police relaunched their own bike patrol program in 2023. That department has two certified officers who now patrol both the trail and nearby shopping centers when manpower allows.
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