Is this just me?

[missliz]

I was cruising around Ebay looking at bike stuff- nothing on TV. I'm really creeped out, some fool is selling Smith and Wesson police bikes. For you who don't know about these- cops LOVE anything that says Smith and Wesson, so these exist to be different than any old mountain bike with a police sticker. More official looking. Sales of these bikes are solely restricted to legitimate police departments- no shop will sell you one.
Even worse? The fully tricked out minty fresh new Treck police bike with lights and siren for $500. Here it's illegal for a civilian to possess the lights and siren, and Adam keep them and a lot of other official police goods under lock and key.
Does this creep you all out that any idiot can buy this stuff, play cop, harrass women? This happens plenty enough. It sounds like props for terrorizing university campuses to me.
These aren't such great bikes- but the BIN price is still too low. I don't like this. I've heard about stolen bikes on Ebay, but I didn't think anyone would be so stupid as to sell police bikes.

Lizzy

[bikerchick68]

lizzy... can you post the link? My husband is a cop... I'll have him check it out... also his best friend was one of the top cycle trainers for several depts out here before being medically retired when he blew his kneecap out while handcuffing a suspect... I know that they sell used police cars but that all badges etc are removed first... it'll be interesting to see if this is legit or not...

[Dogmama]

A bike with a siren? Be still my heart....

My husband is also an ex-cop, now P.I. He's never heard of a Smith & Wesson bike & can't imagine (nor can I) how you'd mount lights & sirens on a bike. They must not be regulation size, are they?

[missliz]

The Treck bike is item #3657690544 on Ebay, seller is just some schlep in Florida. Fishy.
The Smith and Wesson bikes are solely for the police market; we wouldn't ride these clunkers, but the name sells a lot of them. Policemen like guns. You will never see one on a shop floor or a trail, only under an on duty police tushy.
Search under seller abikestore*com for them. I already emailed Smith and Wesson.

That's not fair- the bikes aren't that bad- but I'm a snob. I judge a Mt bike by it's headset first, says a lot.

Yes, there are police lights and sirens for bikes- again, you won't see these on a shop floor. They're ordered through liscenced shops for police departments since they need to be mounted by a wrench who knows their job. I think they're made by the people who make the fancy rechargeable battery lights; they look like a double set of NiteRiders or whatever, handlebar mounted. I only know about this stuff because I go in the mechanics room at the shop and see it; And of course flirt shamelessly with hardbodies with gunbelts...
Sorry, this is serious. In my city there've been a bunch of cop imposters wreaking havoc and a big scandal about policemen selling badges on Ebay. And the psuedo bike cop on university campuses trying to rape girls.

Lizzy

[bikerchick68]

I'll have my husband check it out... I talked to his friend tonight (the cycly training cop) and he said there is nothing restricted about a Smith and Wesson bike... nothing that would prevent some public person from buying it once the bike has been retired from the department... I asked him if he thought they would take the "badges" (the Smith and Wesson part) off and he said no, no reason to... at the point they strip any police equipment off it's just another bike... he said he'll look at the sight too... he's now a Primal Wear dealer as well so still has lots of contacts...

too bad about people impersonating officers... puts you into a bad position of being unsure who to trust. Really a bummer for the real officers on the dept... as to real officers selling their badges on eBay... I sure as heck hope there are HEAVY and SERIOUS penalties for that!!! That is exactly how someone is able to effectively impersonate a cop and then commit a crime like you mentioned... how disheartening... I'll keep you posted after the guys check it out!

[missliz]

Well, these have POLICE painted on the side- that's what makes them so tightly held. If all they said was Smith and Wesson, I'dhave rolled my eyes and not cared- kind of silly for a Mt bike. The difference is the police sign on any bike- that's when it becomes impersonating an officer. You can put a POLICE decal on any bike and put it into service as police equipment. The S&W bikes on Ebay have this painted on, they're brand new and listed as police bikes, and there's no mention that the bike will arrive with patches of paint sanded off. And really- I can buy a Crown Vic to tool around in, but as soon as I put POLICE on the side, I'm up to no good. The arrest and test case is long past- you can't even put a made up Emerald city of Oz Coroner sign on your 1958 Caddy hearse and drive around. That cat did four months. And it was just a fashion statement!
The Treck is being touted as police surplus- except it has police decals all over, lights and siren, big rack trunk that says police, helmet that says police... Bike equivalent of an in service patrol car.
I understand the distinctions- thats why this is creepy. It's service ready stuff.

Lizzy

[bikerchick68]

well, my husband said you were smart to let Smith and Wesson know who's selling the bike, but it is not illegal to ride around on a police bike... he said having a police car is different...

I think it's weird too... guess we better be sure to ask for police ID (NOT a badge!!!) when we are stopped if even vaguely suspicious of who is stopping us...

[missliz]

Well, here it is illegal- maybe we like to keep our criminally minded more roped in than y'all do in your husbands jurisdiction. New Orleans finest was in the shop when I went to get Ugly Bike today- he was horrified.

Lizzy

[bikerchick68]

LOL Lizzy- that's very possible... I AM in CA, which seems to be the land of liberals... there are numerous laws here that are FAR more liberal than what federal law allows... no doubt it varies state to state... so I guess as long as the eBay person doesn't sell to someone there... not sure what repercussions the seller would have if any.

I know you can buy guns in AZ that you can't own in CA as well...