Business donates bike to Palatine police

Palatine police have added to their bicycle patrol fleet thanks to the generosity of a village business.

Allied Air Conditioning & Heating Corp. co-owner Brent Bauer recently presented a Specialized Crosstrail bike to the police department. Palatine police regularly use bicycle patrols in several areas of the village.

Chief Alan Stoeckel was grateful for the donation, saying police will be able to add an officer to the mountain bike patrol, which had been at 16 before the gift.

"The bicycle (will) be put to good use as officers continue to utilize police bikes to patrol the downtown district, parks, bike paths and the northeast portion of Palatine," Stoeckel said.

Bauer's bicycle donation was spurred by a conversation he had with 43-year customer Mike Schrage of Palatine. Schrage is a recent Palatine Citizen Police Academy graduate and was so enthusiastic about the law enforcement work that Bauer and business partner Greg Budlinger decided to donate the bike.

Sgt. Jason Watson, who oversees the bicycle unit, met with Bauer before the donation was made by Allied. Bauer kept the purchase local by making his selection at Mikes Bike Shop on Northwest Highway in Palatine.