SFS partners with local police departments

  • Published
  • By Mark Wyatt
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – Local law enforcement officials recently completed mountain bike training here to improve public safety in the communities where they serve.

Department of the Air Force Police Sgt. Christopher Langmeyer, 66th Security Forces Squadron training supervisor, provided the training.

“The International Police Mountain Bike Association training teaches officers patrol procedures, tactics, night operations, basic bike maintenance and on-the-road repairs,” said Langmeyer, a certified instructor who has taught three other IPMBA classes since coming to Hanscom in 2016.

In addition to local police officers, each four-day course taught at Hanscom includes members of Security Forces.

“The only law enforcement experience many in the squadron have is from their time in the military,” Langmeyer said. “It’s good for them to train alongside their civilian counterparts and talk to them. It’s been a good professional development opportunity.”

Airman 1st Class Tyler Turner, 66 SFS entry control sentry, agrees.

“The course allowed for a good exchange of ideas with the off-base civilian officers in the class,” he said. “Anytime we’re able to work together and learn from each other, it makes us stronger as a law enforcement community.”

While there is no formal bike unit on base, SFS officials explain the use of bikes is ideal for special events such as the Hanscom Heroes Homecoming parade that took place this past summer or trick-or-treating last month.

“The bike patrols allow defenders to have more accessibility and speed in areas that hinder patrol cars,” Langmeyer said. “It also enables them to move from traffic position to traffic position swiftly and safely.”

Langmeyer discussed the importance of bike units to police departments in civilian communities.

“These units are important to community policing through more direct contact with the public,” he said. “We encourage that interaction to maintain communication and build trust with people in the community.”

Before coming to Hanscom, Langmeyer was a Framingham, Massachusetts, police officer and served on a bike unit there.

Security Forces has collaborated before with local law enforcement agencies. Last year members of the Military Working Dog Section trained alongside more than 60 local K-9 teams to provide canine first aid training here. In 2016, the installation held explosive detection training for 70 area canine teams from 14 different law enforcement agencies, including from Hanscom.

“It’s not who you work for, as we all wear a badge,” Langmeyer said. “When we have training and space available, we offer it to our partners in the local community when able, and they offer training to our personnel.”

Langmeyer plans to continue teaching the mountain bike course to on- and off-base law enforcement officials.

“As a community, whether it’s federal, state or local, we work together despite slightly different uniforms and jurisdiction,” he said. “Whenever we are able to train together in a realistic environment it strengthens our ability to police the communities we serve.”