Rye’s security pedal patrol wheels into second year of operation
By Marisa Pistillo
Ryerson’s security force will be pedalling the bad guys off the campus for the second school year in a row.
Bare-legged officers are a common sight on campus this semester, zipping around campus on Kona Cinder Cones, a high-performance quality mountain bike.
Borrowing from Metro Police’s effective bike patrol programs, security purchased three mountain bikes last year, mainly to increase response times to campus incidents.
“They provide a way to cover more ground,” said security supervisor Terry Ladouceur. In addition, most people don’t know there are officers nearby on bikes, which “increases the element of surprise (for criminals),” he said.
The suggestion to purchase the bikes came two years ago from Bike Patrol Instructor Lawrence Robinson, who provides the bike training necessary for officers to ride.
“Lawrence has worked extensively with Metro Police bike patrols, and he trained our guys,” said Karen Craig, Rye’s security manager.
Reaction from those students and staff who are aware of security’s new mode of transportation has been positive, according to Janet Mays, Director of Equity, Harassment and Safety Services at Ryerson. Officiers visibility is not only increased to members of the Ryerson community but also to the “non-desirables” hanging around campus, therefore showing potential trouble makers that they are being watched.
Ladouceur maintains that the security-on-wheels phenomenon improves rapport between officers and students, especially those who ride to school everyday. “They have helped us to integrate with the student body,” he said.
The Cinder Cone mountain bike model is also used by police services and security forces at other universities.
According to a sales representative at Duke Cycle on Queen Street, the Cinder Cone sells for $1000.
“We wanted the bikes to meet certain performance standards,” said Mays, who added that the bikes “take a lot of abuse” because they are often dropped at an instant when responding to emergencies. The money to purchase the bikes is taken from Ryerson security’s budget.
“We have to maintain (the bike patrol) program on our own,” said Ladoceur.
Security hopes to buy one more bike before the end of the school year. Campus bike patrol is limited to the number of officers trained to ride on any given shift.
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