Background

Bike patrol units excel in community interaction and maneuvering in tight spaces where a patrol car has a disadvantage in. However, despite their effectiveness, their current equipment falls short of meeting their unique needs.

The main issue lies in the lack of specialized gear tailored toward bike officers. Unlike other patrol units with dedicated equipment, bike officers rely on standard mountain bikes and gear that is often haphazardly strapped on, leading to inefficiencies. This setup not only compromises functionality, but it also fails to comply with high velocity human factor principles, leading to potentially dangerous

Approach

The main challenge was creating a bike that was an extension of the police officer and not just another transportation method. To tackle this, we implemented features to assist daily tasks, providing speed and comfort.

In the process, we had to compare reduced the amount of pain points police officers were encountering due to misrepresented gear.

Handlebar that support the most immediate needs, complying to high-velocity human factor principles
Simple and secure bag attachment to prevent theft
Swappable, rechargeable batteries to prevent dead weight anxiety
Grips for trained hold positions for extra comfort and stability
Color variety to match with the rest of the law enforcement division
Impact

After completing the project, Kevin Shankwiler↗ reached out to inform me that our bike is in consideration for production for the Georgia Institute of Technology Police Department.

N-4 has also won awards at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Industrial Design Launchpad Spring 2022 showcase for being the Best Project, and made it to the Final Round in IDSA IDEA Contest.