Former police officers explain why modern agencies benefit from greater mobility, visibility, and rapid response capabilities.
“In my previous life as a police officer, I would have loved to have had an entire fleet of these things.”
That’s the conclusion Brian Mahone, Director of Safety and Security for INDYCAR Racing, reached after nearly three years of riding the Trikke Positron as part of the company’s security operations.
Mahone, along with Mike Bates, Senior Director of Safety and Security for INDYCAR, spent years in law enforcement before moving into race-day security operations.
“Brian and I are both former police officers and motorcycle officers,” Bates says. “We’ve trained on Harley-Davidsons and all kinds of two-wheeled vehicles.”
For Bates, the vehicle’s handling stands out.
“It feels so natural now. It’s almost part of your body,” he says.
Mahone also addressed one of the concerns often raised by first-time riders.
“People can be a little intimidated at first,” he says. “What they don’t realize is that the three-wheel design provides incredible stability. Once you get on it, the vehicle responds naturally to your body weight and movements. They’re awesome.”
The endorsement comes from a security team responsible for protecting one of the fastest and most demanding environments in professional sports, where mobility, visibility, and rapid response matter every day.
“It’s especially useful for large departments that have a lot of ground to cover,” Bates says. “For police departments, parks departments, and other agencies responsible for large but contained areas, it’s a perfect tool. I would absolutely recommend it.”
The Positron 60V bridges the gap between foot patrol and larger patrol vehicles, helping officers cover more ground while remaining connected to the community.
Parks. Trails. Downtown streets. Community events.
Those are the environments where officers from the Hardeeville Police Department expect to put their new Trikke patrol vehicles to work as part of the department’s ongoing commitment to community-oriented policing and public safety.
The department recently added two Trikke Positron 60V patrol vehicles to its fleet, becoming the first law enforcement agency in the Palmetto State to deploy Trikke Professional Mobility vehicles.
In announcing the new patrol vehicles, the department highlighted their ability to help officers remain highly visible and approachable while moving efficiently through areas where traditional patrol vehicles can be less practical.
According to the department, the Trikkes will be used to patrol parks, trails, downtown areas, special events, and community gatherings. The vehicles provide greater mobility than foot patrol while helping officers maintain a strong presence and increase positive interactions with residents and visitors.
For agencies focused on community engagement, visibility matters. Officers who can move easily through public spaces while remaining accessible to the people they serve are often better positioned to build relationships, answer questions, and address issues before they escalate.
The Trikke Positron 60V helps bridge the gap between foot patrol and larger patrol vehicles. Its compact design allows officers to navigate crowded areas and community spaces while covering more ground than they could on foot alone.
As communities continue to grow and public events become larger and more frequent, agencies across the country are looking for ways to increase patrol coverage without sacrificing visibility or approachability. Hardeeville’s deployment reflects that trend.
By becoming the first law enforcement agency in South Carolina to adopt Trikke patrol vehicles, Hardeeville Police is embracing a patrol strategy focused on mobility, presence, and community connection.
Photos courtesy of the Hardeeville Police Department.
What happens after Trikke patrol vehicles move beyond the novelty stage?
Several stories from the Trikke Mobility archives reveal a pattern familiar to almost any new technology.
First comes curiosity.
Then comes experience.
Then comes the moment people stop talking about what something is.
And start talking about what it does.
When Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant was introduced to Trikke patrol vehicles in 2022, his reaction was one many people can understand:
“I never would have thought in a million years that something like this would be equipment on our streets.”
At the time, the conversation centered on possibilities. Could these three-wheel, electric vehicles help officers manage crowds, navigate traffic, and improve visibility in busy public spaces? Atlanta wasn’t alone. Around the country, departments were introducing Trikke patrol vehicles to their communities and local media, often generating the same mix of curiosity and excitement.
In Indianapolis, deputies described their new patrol vehicles as:
“Agile electric horses without the cleanup.”
In Wheeling, West Virginia, local media followed officers as they introduced the vehicles to the community. In Fargo, North Dakota, and Somerton, Arizona, departments explained how patrol mobility might help improve coverage, visibility, and public engagement.
At that stage, the discussion was largely about potential.
What could these vehicles do?
How would officers use them?
Would they prove effective in the field?
Several years later, many of those questions have been answered by the officers who ride them.
In a 2025 roundup of law enforcement comments from across the country, the conversation sounded noticeably different.
Wheeling Police Lieutenant Josh Sanders observed:
“Immediately upon trying them, we thought they were really cool. Community engagement is almost instant.”
Dallas College Police Captain James Smith Jr. focused on operational benefits:
“With a Trikke, you’re just cruising right through the environment and covering a lot more area with a lot less energy.”
And in Atlanta, where the story began with curiosity, Lieutenant Brendon Barth offered a much simpler assessment:
“I really enjoy using the Positron. It has great mobility, speed, handling, and visibility. It’s perfect around parks and crowds.”
The contrast is revealing.
The early stories are about introduction.
The later stories are about experience.
Together, they show how perceptions evolve once a new patrol tool moves from the novelty stage to everyday use.
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