The Office of Campus Safety now includes a bicycle patrol to supplement its vehicle, golf cart and foot patrols.
“You can’t beat walking, but this will help us move around more efficiently,” Director of Campus Safety Robert Hooper said.
Joe Mazzari, a part-time safety officer, proposed the idea. “I feel this gives us a better way to respond to calls,” said Mazzari, who came to Kenyon five years ago from the police department in Danville, Ohio. Bikes give the officers more mobility over sidewalks, paths, fields and roads, he says. “We can cover campus a little more quickly whether a responding to a call or just basic patrolling.”
K-Bikes, Kenyon’s volunteer bike service and repair organization operated by students and staff, donated the first bike the department will use. Mazzari is outfitting it with Campus Safety decals and a medical bag with basic first aid equipment, such as an instant cold pack. He also is training officers on how to handle responses when on the bike.
Ultimately, all 10 full-time and five part-time officers will be able to use the bike during their shifts.
Mazzari, an avid cyclist, sees another benefit to the new bike patrol: community relations. “The community sees us in another way than just being in a car,” he said. “I think it’s a great tool. More visibility means a quicker response.”