School resource officers patrol on bicycles, reach kids in summer

by: Robin Kanady, Queen City News,  Jun 23, 2022 / 10:45 PM EDT

CONCORD, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Sixteen school resource officers with the Concord Police Department do bicycle patrols when school is out to stay connected with children over summer break.

The officers are already very familiar to students in the area, but it’s the way they’re getting around that’s catching some attention.

“It’s super star status,” said Officer Fred Riddick with Concord Police.

When school’s out, the school resource officers are like celebrities trading four wheels for two.

“Kids–sometimes they lose their minds when they see officers ride up on a bike. They don’t know we have these bicycles,” said Officer Riddick.

Not only are the bicycles kid magnets, but they provide a way to connect.

“A lot of things can be real pretty on the outside, but once you peel back those layers, you realize these kids are going through a lot and for them to find someone to trust and to talk to, its real big,” said Officer Andrew Kelemecz.

Concord Police use their resource officers to do bike patrols in the summer going out into neighborhoods and parks to stay in touch with students over summer break.

“For some children, that leader is that SRO that’s in their school day to day and they need that same relationship throughout the summer,” said Major Todd McGhee with Concord Police.

Sometimes it’s doing push ups, other times tying shoes.

“A unicorn. Did they find it?”

And sometimes finding unicorns.

“I think it’s important for the children to see the officers not only as officers, but as people too,” said Jocelyn Cox, a parent with children in Cabarrus County Schools.

With the addition of the school resource officers on bike patrol in the summer, Concord has 52 officers total on its bicycle patrol unit.

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