THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 19, 1996 TAG: 9609170141
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Close-up
SOURCE: Kathryn Darling
LENGTH: 79 lines
Cpl. Donald Burns comes from a family of police officers. His brother, Al, is a first sergeant in the Chesapeake Police Department, his father and grandfather were police chiefs and his great-grandfather was a detective.
But Burns, 40, is the first police officer in his family to patrol on a bike.
For the last year, Burns, who lives in Azalea Acres, has been a supervisor of the Bike Patrol and PACE Unit for the 1st Precinct Blue Sector, which includes Ghent, Huntersville, Park Place, Colonial Place, Old Dominion University, Larchmont, Edgewater and Riverview. Seven of the nine officers he supervises also patrol on bikes.
A bike patrol officer's primary duty is to identify problems and problem areas, but bike patrol officers also respond to calls, make traffic stops and handle regular criminal arrests, he said.
Policing on a bike is effective.
``Seventy percent of the uniformed drug arrests in the city are by bike officers,'' he said.
People are still looking in the street for police cars, but ``we are on the sidewalk and between houses,'' he said.
Recently, he said, on one corner where police were watching for drug trafficking, a man who was wanted for malicious wounding charges saw three bike officers converging on him and fell spread eagle on the street.
The job also involves community relations. Burns attends civic league meetings, gives bike demonstrations and workshops at schools, and has time to get to know the business owners and residents.
It's ``such an opportunity to get out there and meet the people in the community,'' he said.
Police officers in patrol cars ``want to help people, but it's hard to help them when you are racing from call to call. I get to actually meet the people,'' he said.
Burns' bike is equipped with two headlights, which he can pop off and use as hand-held lights, a blue strobe light and a piercing horn.
He carries most of the same paperwork a car patrol officer carries, rain gear, a first-aid kit, a small tool kit and a tire pump and a patch kit. In the hot months he always carries suntan lotion, insect spray and a water bottle.
The bike patrol officers ride year-round, even on the hottest and coldest days, but they try to stay out of thunderstorms, and riding on snow and ice hasn't been too successful, he said.
Name: Donald K. Burns.
Nickname: Don or D.K..
What brought you to Norfolk? I was born here.
Birthdate: Feb. 22, 1956.
Occupation: Police corporal.
Marital Status: Married to Donna.
Children: None.
Last book read: ``Mindhunter'' by John Douglas.
Favorite movie: ``Braveheart.''
Favorite magazine: Outside.
If you could trade places for just one day with anyone in the world, who would it be and why? There is no one I would want to be for just one day - I couldn't learn enough.
Biggest accomplishment: I have assisted in four emergency childbirths - two as a police officer and two as a rescue squadsman.
Most embarrassing moment: Too many to pick out one.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I would stop worrying about frivolous things.
Favorite vacation spot: The Blue Ridge Mountains.
Perfect way to spend the day: Hiking the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Pet peeve: People who feel they are high and mighty.
First job: Washing cars for a rental car company.
Worst job: Animal control officer.
Hobbies: Hiking, camping and biking.
Favorite restaurant: O'Sullivan's.
What do you like most about Norfolk? The variety of interests readily available.
What do you like least about Norfolk? The constant road construction. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by HUY NGUYEN
Donald Burns by CNB