Residents and visitors may soon see more police in a growing area of Carrollton.
Police Chief Rex Redden asked the city council to expand the bike patrol unit for use in the city's historic downtown.
Recently the bike-mounted officers have been patrolling the area in the evenings and during special events, and Redden said it's something he'd like to see full-time in the popular shopping area.
"So they feel safe when they're visiting that part of town," said Redden.
In recent years, the downtown square has undergone significant renovations to create a more pedestrian-friendly destination for the area.
Nicole DiTommaso, special events coordinator for the city of Carrollton, said it has been a focus for the city to bring focus back to the aging area, especially with increased traffic from the Dallas Area Rapid Transit train line and the growing Interstate 35E corridor nearby.
"Develop a habit for people to come to the heart of Carrollton," said DiTommaso.
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That begins with presenting a safe area, though.
Redden said the area is one of Carrollton's safest neighborhoods, but there have been some minor property crimes like car break-ins and other issues.
He wants to get ahead of things and show visitors the area is on the police radar and is a safe one to spend their time.
"You've got a lot of things to do down there, but with that there's a potential for things to happen, but we're going to do our best to prevent that," said Redden.
The city council is currently setting its new budget and the chief is hopeful the bike patrol expansion will be included.
