Barbara Lawlor, Nederland.  Mike Horgan bicycle racers sped through town in their team colors on Sunday, leaving rainbow streams and dust in their wake. Their gear was tight and aerodynamic; their only accessories were water bottles. The race was over. It was all downhill to Boulder and they flew to catch a cool breeze on their hot faces.

Jake Smith also rode his bicycle through Nederland last weekend, but he wasn’t going fast and his colors were the navy blue of the Nederland Police Department. The Ned officer’s presence was the introduction of the Nederland Summer Bike Patrol Program, which will continue every Friday and Saturday through the summer, says NPD Chief Paul Carrill.

NPD officer Smith will patrol the downtown business district, the residential areas within the boundaries, and the parks and trails. He pedaled through the crowds of pedestrian visitors who stopped for the Art Fair on Saturday and walked around town, some with questions about local restaurants or places to shop.

Smith is a friendly cop with a boyish smile. People found it easy to chat with him. This is the department’s goal in having a bike patrol officer: to work with the community and its visitors: helping them to enjoy their Rocky Mountain experience and to maintain a smooth flow of traffic and pedestrians through town and across the congested highway during summer events.

While he is on the bike, in-car patrol officers will also be on duty.

On Saturday, Officer Smith was stopped by a local named Dusty, who offered Smith his hand to shake, then his knuckles to bump. “I love having him as a bike cop,” said Dusty. “He’s among the very finest: he’s intelligent and he keeps fit. He also plays the guitar and solves the world problems. He’s a really positive person to have riding around town.”

Another local gave a thumbs up to Smith and shouted, “It’s about time.”

Smith wears his uniform shorts and equipment belt and protective vest. His handle bars are equipped with the necessary lights and police gear.

There was no catching a cool breeze for Bike Patrol Officer Jake Smith on Saturday afternoon, but he didn’t seem to mind, cruising around town, introducing himself to people and offering assistance when needed.