FORT SMITH (KFSM) -- In its first week, the Fort Smith Police Department Motorcycle unit officers are braving cold temperatures while receiving positive feedback from the public.
Motorcycle officer, Brandon Djordjevic has been riding bikes year-round for seven years, but there comes a point when it's too cold for patrol.
"We can't ride," Djordjevic said. "The most important thing is no snow or ice. You can't ride on ice. The second is obviously sand. If they've been sanding roads that's dangerous to two wheels. You can't make turns, you can't make proper maneuvers. It's simply not worth the risk."
The officers have enough gear to ride until the temperatures get down to 35 degrees, but if it gets colder than that, they have a back-up plan.
"We jump in a car," Djordjevic said. "We jump in one of the patrol cars and we do the same job, just obviously a little more restrictive having four wheels around you instead of two."
But, regardless of the weather, officer said the new bikes make patrolling much easier.
"They're quicker," Djordjevic said. "You can just get to where you need to go quicker. You can get through the traffic if there's a congestion. You can move between vehicles and move around vehicles."
While seeing the bikes on the road may be new to drivers, officer said they'll still be out in full force.
"Traffic violations I've already enforced," Djordjevic said. "One individual sped past me and had no idea I was a police officer. So, just be extra careful. You never know when we're gonna be there."
The officers said they're able to interact with the community more and the feedback from the public has been positive.
Some people are already asking for more motorcycle cops. The police department will be looking into potentially adding more bikes in the future.