Woodbury Police Expand Bike Patrols to Reserves

People react differently when they see a cop on a bike, says Tony Zerwas, Woodbury community service officer and member of the Police Reserves.

“The squad car can act as a barrier, which is unfortunate,” he said.

The Woodbury Public Safety Department started a new program this summer that has reserve officers out patrolling the streets on bicycles.

The program started in early June, as Zerwas and fellow police reserve Brett Splinter joined an existing bike program among sworn officers.  

On a random schedule, the two volunteers primarily patrol parks and residential areas in the afternoons and evenings, Zerwas said.

“Getting out there and meeting people and waving to kids,” he said.

Zerwas and Splinter completed a four-day, 40-hour training course earlier this year, cycling around the airport as part of the training.

A veteran of the Iraq war, Zerwas said there were people cheering in the airport when he returned home from combat, but he got more support from citizens when he was cycling through the facility in his police uniform during training.

“That was an eye opener,” he said.

While it’s still in the pilot phase, Zerwas said the hope is to add more reserves to the bike program next year.

Ultimately, having reserve officers on bikes brings a “different dynamic” to police-citizen interaction and helps the department better connect with people, Zerwas said.

“It’s really an effective tool for community policing,” he said.

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