Belknap County Sheriff adds mountain bike patrol

The Belknap County Sheriffs Department is starting a new mountain bike patrol program after Lakes Region businesses donated bikes and equipment. The bikes were donated by Brookside Pizza of Belmont and Joe Darrah Enterprise of Pittsfield, a bike rack for the patrol car was donated by the NH AFL-CIO labor union, and the helmets, seats, kick stands and other equipment for the bikes were donated by Piche’s Ski & Sports Shop of Gilford. The sheriff started the patrol as a way to be more accessible to people on trail systems, as well as ski resorts and other off-road organizations that may be hard to reach by car, as well as “transient traffic." The department also plans to be available to help locating lost hikers. Deputies Richard Walter and Nate Moss will be the first two to be on patrol, and will be required to complete a 40-hour certification course given by the Concord Police Department. Any other officers who would like to be certified will do so on a volunteer basis. Chief Deputy James McIntyre said due to their tight budget, the program wouldn’t have been possible without the donations and is confident it will be beneficial to the community. “It’s to get us out on the trails and to give the citizens of Belknap County some confidence that the trails are patrolled and protected and that we are able to get out there in the remote areas.”