Alyson Cook didn’t know what to expect when she saw red and blue lights flashing in front of her Camero last spring.

But when she brought her vehicle to a halt, Cook knew this would be no ordinary encounter with law enforcement.

For the first time in her life, Cook, zoology sophomore, had been pulled over by a bike cop.

Although they may not be as visible as police cars, officers have been riding bicycles on campus for nearly 20 years, OUPD Lt. Bruce Chan said.

Officers originally used impounded or left behind bicycles and had them fixed up, Chan said.

But today, the officers ride in style.

Officer Jay Littlejohn has been with OUPD for five years and has been biking for the past three. He said sporting the bicycle “look” for officers isn’t cheap.

Officers need bike specific helmets, gloves, glasses and shorts, which can cost anywhere from $500 to more than $2,000 per officer, Littlejohn said. He said the prices usually meet or exceed $2,000 because the bicycles themselves average the same prices.

Littlejohn, an OUPD bicycle instructor, said trained officers may ride bikes all year long, but only when they choose.

As springtime approaches, Littlejohn said it’s likely more bike cops will appear on campus.

“The campus environment is perfect for police on bikes,” he said. “You can get to a lot of places cars can’t go.”

Officer Rod Sanders said bicycle officers handle car burglars and football games, while other officers escort the Pride of Oklahoma.

Game days are good examples of how bikes can be utilized, Littlejohn said.

The Norman Police Department also brings six to eight bicycle units to accompany OUPD.

Game days might seem like OUPD bike cops’ biggest days, but Sanders said bike cops face hazards on a daily basis.

“I’m good at crashing,” Sanders said. “And traffic is dangerous especially at night.”

The risk of harm is almost always worth the stories they hear, Sanders said.

“I’ve heard people make phone calls saying ‘Apparently, the police can pull you over on a bike,’” he said.

Cook, who was driving with a friend when she was pulled over, said she was nervous and confused when she first saw the bike cop, but laughs about the occurrence now.

She said the incident has made her think twice about getting pulled over, but she’s still the only person she knows of to get pulled over by a bike cop.