WESTFIELD—The city’s police department received a unique gift from Indian Motorcycle on Southampton Road, which will help their efforts in patrolling the Columbia Greenway and other off-road areas.
The department received a Polaris EV506 from Indian Motorcycle, which is a pedal-assisted electric bicycle. With this bicycle, police will be able to cover greater distance than if on foot, and would utilize less physical energy to power.
Members from Indian Motorcycle and Westfield Police Department pose with the Polaris electric bicycle donated to the department. From left to right: David Paquette, Dennis Bolduc, Lt. Eric Hall, officer Steven Nacewitz and officer Jason Williams
“This is nice, it’s kind of the next step,” Lt. Eric Hall from the Westfield Police Department, said. “It gets us somewhere quicker with less energy.”
In addition, Hall said that the bike will allow the department to travel off-road and down paths that police may have to traverse on foot, and may also have more difficulty with. This is because the bike is fitted with larger tires, which allow for more rigorous and difficult terrain navigation.
According to Dave Paquette from Indian Motorcycle, the bike is dual-assist, which means that it turns on when you pedal.
“Basically, it operates like a regular bike but has a lithium ion battery,” he said.
The bike’s top speed is 20 mph according to Paquette, and the battery can last for 6 to 10 hours. In addition, as the bike is pedaled a small amount of energy is created, giving the battery an additional charge.
“At Indian Motorcycle of Springfield we are committed to the support of our local men and women in uniform,” Dennis Bolduc, owner of Indian Motorcycle, said. “We could not think of a better cause to support than the folks who help keep our community safe. It is with great honor that we make this donation to the Westfield Police Department.”
According to Bolduc, the bike is valued at $4,700 and some assembly was required by Indian Motorcycle.
