UMaine to Host Law Enforcement Mountain Bicycle Patrol School
Contact: Contact: Joe Carr at (207) 581-3571
Orono, ME — Bicycle patrol officers from municipal police departments and campus public safety officers throughout New England will be at The University of Maine on through June 20 to learn how better to combine law enforcement with cycling. The UMaine Department of Public Safety Department is sponsoring the training of bicycle patrol units; some 15 officers from Maine and Vermont will take the five-day program sanctioned by the Law Enforcement Bicycle Association (LEBA). The course covers bicycle handling skills, night operations, bicycle maintenance, emergency maneuvers, nutrition, group riding, traffic protocol, self-defense and firearms training. Successful completion of the course will certify riders as Police Cyclists in their respective states.
Used as a tool to promote police-citizen relationships, bicycle patrols result in increased public interaction, higher visibility and an increase in public confidence.
NOTE: Tuesday June, 17 and Thursday June 19, 2003 have been set aside for media coverage. Instructors and students will be available for interviews, with photo and video opportunities (obstacle course riding, suspect contacts, etc.)
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Tuesday, June 17 at UMaine’s Belgrade Parking Lot 2-3 p.m.
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Thursday, June 19 at Bar Harbor Playing Field, adjacent to the YMCA 2-3 p.m.
Call David Fiacco at (207) 581-1416 for more information.