American Notes SEATTLE

The woman was just completing a heroin sale in Seattle when from around the corner whooshed a couple of cops mounted on bicycles. They quickly arrested the suspected drug dealer, called for a patrol car and had her hauled off to jail. In the woman's purse was a letter from a friend warning her to keep an eye peeled for cops on bikes.

Like scores of other cities, Seattle (which came up with the idea first) has found that its pedal-pushing patrol has become, in the words of Officer Paul Grady, "quite the urban crime fighter." Wheeling rugged 18-speed mountain bikes into parks, doorways, narrow alleys and even under viaducts, Seattle's squad of 20 bike officers has averaged five times the number of arrests made by downtown foot patrols over the past two years.

"The element of surprise is incredible," says Grady. "Criminals still aren't used to us whipping around the corner and taking drugs right out of their hands. They look around, don't see a patrolman, car or horse, and make the deal. We whip around and catch them."