This is the third article in a series of monthly Campus Safety articles with University Police Officer Johnny Coxum.

University Police officers take to their bikes in the name of safety

Officer Johnny Coxum said having University Police officers patrolling the campus on mountain bikes, in addition to patrol cars and on foot, promotes the department’s visibility and mobility – two elements that are key in campus safety.

Coxum is one of five officers trained to serve on bike patrol. The department uses the system during the warm weather months. It is also an effective tool at large-scale campus events, such as commencement, the faculty/staff barbecue at the end of the spring semester and fall convocation. Coxum said it is easier for officers to maneuver around such events on two wheels.

In addition to promoting safety, Coxum said officers who ride the bikes during their shifts are healthier because of the exercise. The bike patrol, which has been in effect for more than 20 years, is also an economically sound and environmentally friendly program.

Tags: bike patrol, Campus safety, mountain bikes, University Police

This entry was posted on Monday, June 15th, 2009 at 5:53 pm and is filed under Feature Stories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.