Students should beware the next time they see a bike late at night — it just might be a police officer.

Ames police officers took to the streets on bikes more than two years ago, yet many students and area residents are still not aware of this, Rory Echer, an Ames police officer, said.

“We get people coming up to us with alcohol in their hands all the time. They don’t realize who we are until they are right there next to us, and by then it is too late for them,” Echer said.

Six Ames police officers are assigned to bike patrol.

They are on a three-year federal grant to enforce bicycle laws, patrol campuses, schools and parks, Echer said.

Each officer’s bike is equipped with everything necessary for writing tickets and even making arrests.

The officers wear gun belts, side arms, carry a citation book, handcuffs and other paperwork needed to make an arrest in a bag on the back of the bike.

The bikes also have reflectors on the back and halogen lights in the front for safety.

Echer said he sometimes rides 45 miles a day on his bike.

He usually will arrive a few hours before his regular shift to do bike patrol.

Other days he said he will stay after his shift and do bike patrol.

Echer said each officer makes his own route and it varies most of the time.

However, most officers patrol the parks, campus, Campustown and surrounding areas.

He said the most repeated offense committed by bicyclists is when they run stop signs. When bicyclists are stopped, officer check for bike registration.

“Registering bikes is for the owner’s benefit. If it is not registered it is a lot harder to locate when stolen. Most people don’t think to write down the serial number of their bike,” Echer said.

Officers on bike patro not only deal with bicycle law offenders.

Echer said he has also made a number of drug arrests.

“When we are patrolling the parks, it is a lot less conspicuous for an officer on a bike to get right up next to a drug deal than one in a patrol car. Most of the time they don’t even know you are there,” Echer said.

Although bike patrolling does have some advantages, it also comes with its share of disadvantages.

Echer said their biggest problem is motor vehicles.

He said vehicles do not always watch out for bikes, so the officers constantly have to be alert.

“When we are out on the streets on bikes, the community is more aware of what we are doing. We are trying different things to get out where the people can see us and talk to us,” Echer said.