MACON, Ga. — Bibb County officials will soon have a new way to patrol downtown Macon.
Mayor Lester Miller says they ordered a new set of ATVs to boost security in the area. He says they bought at least six of them for deputies to get into areas of downtown Macon, Carolyn Crayton Park and along the Ocmulgee River that are hard to reach.
Ron Cleghorn at Byron Outdoor Superstore says he loves the idea. He says ATVs bring deputies advantages over regular cars.
"It can climb hills, jump curbs. So, this is going to allow the officer to go places that he can't go in his cop car," he said.
That's also what Miller told commissioners last month just before they accepted the $200,000 grant from the Peyton Anderson Foundation.
"Being able to use these ATVs to ride alongside the river down the trail, to point out some issues we have with lighting not working. Or people who have left debris there like mattresses, buggies, things of that nature," he explained.
Miller tells 13WMAZ that the ATVs are, right now, primarily for code enforcement, but he left open the possibility for Bibb deputies using them.
First and foremost, however, he hopes it makes people visiting those places feel a bit safer. He says the added presence would also deter crime.
"Would allow them to have access to alleys and other things that you can't usually get a car there to get more exposure, particularly on the weekend," Miller said.
Cleghorn says the way ATVs are built will also help law enforcement keep an eye on things while on patrol.
"The accessibility," he said, climbing onto a blue one. "When I'm on this thing, I have no blind spots. I can literally see everything that is going on around me."
There's no word yet on when the new ATVs will hit the street, but Miller says they're already looking into purchasing more of them with other grant money.
This is the latest in a series of changes county leaders are making to increase downtown safety. In September, commissioners changed closing time at bars from 3 a.m. to 2 a.m. They also banned food trucks on public property between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.