Bicycle riding auxiliary officers help patrol Grand Rapids
Jul. 26, 2013, Written by Karen Madden, Daily Tribune Media
GRAND RAPIDS — When Police Chief Dave Lewandowski needed to find a way to reduce vandalism in the community, he decided to put two department bicycles to use.
This summer, using the Grand Rapids Police Auxiliary, Lewandowski started a town bicycle patrol. In pairs, the auxiliary officers ride around Lake Wazeecha and through some of the subdivisions where problems have been reported, Lewandowski said. If the officers, who are not armed, see something out of the ordinary, they contact the Wood County Dispatch center.
“We want to get the best coverage we can get for what we have,” Lewandowski said.
The auxiliary officers, mostly made up of police science students at Mid-State Technical College, volunteer their time to get experience and help the community.
A former police chief purchased the bicycles several years ago with grant money, Lewandowski said. Officers used them a few times to patrol the area around Lake Wazeecha or during special events, but the bikes had been sitting unused in the town’s garage for five or six years. Lewandowski and Sgt. Dave Drinkwine had the bikes refurbished for a small amount of money, Lewandowski said.
Through fundraisers, the Grand Rapids Police Auxiliary generates its own money for equipment, Lewandowski said. The police science students have a lot of their own gear, which they have purchased for classes.
The auxiliary’s bicycle patrol is the eyes and ears for the Grand Rapids Police Department, said Auxiliary Sgt. Trevin Szukzewski.
“I think it’s good for the Police Department Auxiliary to provide a presence in places normally police don’t reach,” Szukzewski said.
There has been a lot of positive feedback from the community, said Szukzewski, a Nekoosa resident who also works part time for the Pittsville Police Department. The bicycle officers patrol about three times a week in the evenings or at other times requested by Police Department officials.
Szukzewski said he volunteered for the auxiliary after learning about the program at Mid-State Technical College. It has given him valuable law enforcement experience, he said. The bicycle patrol gives him the chance to volunteer more hours and it also helps keep him in shape, he said.
Should the need arise, the bicycle patrols can be used to help search for missing people, Auxiliary Police Lt. Lori Edwards said. The officers on bicycles can get to places where officers in squad cars can’t, she said.
Since they were implemented, the bike patrols helped provide assistance to injured walkers or bicyclists, Lewandowski said. They also have given friendly reminders to people walking dogs without a leash.
The auxiliary officers do not have the authority to write tickets or make arrests, Lewandowski said. Instead, they politely remind people about town ordinances and, if necessary, call in a Grand Rapids officer for assistance.