U. Police begin new bike patrol

The few, the proud. The University Police bicycle patrol. The University Police Department began a new bicycle patrol this week, in which five officers ride around campus each day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Commissioner John Kuprevich said that the patrol, which is spearheaded by Seargent Michael Fink, serves two main purposes. First, it is a quick-response force, ready to react to any crime. Second, Kuprevich said the bright yellow jackets and dark blue trousers that the patrol members wear increases the police department's visibility on campus. "The goal is high visibility from a preventative standpoint," he said. Kuprevich said that West Philadelphia traffic, coupled with the difficulty of driving patrol cars across campus, convinced him to enact the strategy this week. Before the bicycle patrol members could begin their new duty, they had to complete a mandatory training session, Kuprevich said. The five officers learned how to handle bicycles, as well as how to maintain them. More importantly, they learned the best way to combine bicycle pursuit with on-foot pursuit during an arrest situation. The session also covered patrol strategies. According to Kuprevich, the bicycle patrol strategy was the brainchild of a University Police officer who suggested the idea almost nine months ago. Seargant Larry Salotti credited Patrolman Brian Ferry. He said Ferry diligently researched the impact of bicycle police officers on the crime rates of several other universities. Ferry also compared the difficulties of covering the campus on foot, on a bicycle and in a police car. John Logan, director of police services, was also instrumental in the patrol's formation, Kuprevich said. Kuprevich added that police officers, like students, must obey all campus bicycle laws, including walking their bicycles over the 38th Street Bridge. "A police officer is supposed to exemplify the job that he's doing . . . " he said. "If an officer is in pursuit of a suspect over the footbridge, I would think that's the exception rather than the rule." Kuprevich also said that the police bicycles will not threaten the health of any students traveling on Locust Walk. "Officers know that pedestrians have the right of way," he said. Kuprevich said that the response from the University community about the bicycle patrol has been overwhelmingly positive. He added that the high visibility of these patrol members reassures people that security measures are in place. Kuprevich said he will decide whether to increase the size of the bicycle patrol force when he evaluates its performance at the end of the summer.

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