Our Police Department is proud to provide two special services to the DeWitt community. These services are: Bike Patrol and the D.A.R.E. Program.
Police Bike Patrol
Bike patrol is ideally suited for special events such as the ox roast and patrolling commercial areas. The bicycle patrol lets officers go anywhere a person on foot can, and often where cars can't. We can get through crowds, go up and down staircases, all faster than a person on foot can.
Bike patrol members go through specialized training, learning how to maneuver at slow speeds, go over obstacles such as curbs, stairs, and balance beams. We learn how to ride fast and safely, and even learn how to crash without doing too much damage to ourselves!
Bicycle patrol officers are more accessible to the public than those patrolling in cars. It is much easier to stop and talk to one of us than to hail a passing patrol car. The police officers that are riding the bicycles wear a special uniform adapted for bike riding.
You will notice that Bike Patrol Officers wear black cycling shorts, and a white polo-style shirt. They are all labeled with the appropriate Police insignia and they are Real Police Officers. You will notice that they all wear helmets with POLICE labels on them. The helmet is for identifying the officers, as well as for safety.
D.A.R.E. Program
Amy Couzzins is the new D.A.R.E./School Liaison Officer for the DeWitt Public Schools. She will be following in the footsteps of previous D.A.R.E Officer Al VanSteenkiste who taught this core curriculum for several years. After Officer VanSteenkiste's retirement, Amy was appointed to the position and looks forward in keeping our students off of drugs.
As you know, there has been much in the news concerning violence in our schools across the nation. While this is something to be concerned about, we need to focus on the issue of preventing violence in our lives. Students, as citizens in our community, need to be part of the solution and not the problem. Keeping our schools and community safe is everybody's responsibility.
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