Coupeville residents should feel free to stop and say hi when they see a police officer riding by on a bicycle.

Town Marshal Shawn Warwick began patrolling the town by e-bike last month, and his favorite part so far has been increased opportunity for interactions with the people he serves.

When he’s cruising by in a police car, Warwick said there isn’t any way for the public to approach him.

“On the bike, we’re going a lot slower most of the time, and there’s no barriers between us and them,” he said. “We’re more approachable.”

The Coupeville town council approved the purchase of the e-bike in its May 25 meeting, and Warwick began using it in early July. The bike was a small expense for the town at just under $2,000, and Coupeville Mayor Molly Hughes said in her July 13 mayor’s report that Warwick uses the e-bike very frequently.

Besides making the marshal more visible to the public, the e-bike also makes Coupeville more visible to the marshal.

“It gives us a lot more freedom to see what’s going on around us and see the environment and our surroundings,” he said.

Despite being slower than a car, the e-bike is no hindrance to police work. Warwick said while on the bike, he can navigate easily in places inaccessible by car, such as parks, denser housing complexes and the wharf.

Even responding to emergency calls has gone smoothly by e-bike. Warwick said in many cases, with the help of the bike’s electronic boost, it isn’t any slower than a car getting to locations in town.

Oak Harbor police officers have been using e-bikes for over a year now. Warwick said Whidbey residents have been increasingly impressed as they’ve seen more officers biking around their municipalities.