Safety officers to begin bicycle patrols on school campus

Governor Mifflin’s Safe Schools Officers will begin using bicycles to patrol district grounds. The district has purchased two bicycles to help increase mobility of the district’s two safe schools officers, especially during high-traffic arrival and dismissal times.

“Bicycles are much more agile than a car and much faster than walking during peak times when students are arriving to school or leaving for the day,” explained Governor Mifflin Director of Safe Schools John Yount. “They are a proactive safety tool allowing us to cover more ground during that time, interact with more students, be a presence at multiple high-traffic crossings, and increase our response time in the event of an incident.”

The bicycles also represent continuing partnerships between Governor Mifflin School District and the surrounding commu- nity. The bicycles were purchased through local vendor J.B. Mountain Bikes on Lancaster Avenue in Shillington. Owner Justin Bernardo assisted in the selection of the model that would best fit the needs of the district and provided the bicycles at cost.

Shillington Police Chief Brett Hivner and Cumru Police Chief Madison Winchester also endorsed the patrols through a joint statement:

“Bicycles are a proven, effective tool in law enforcement. The ability to get from one end of the campus to the other without worrying about vehicular traffic is invaluable. The Safe Schools Officers will be more visible on campus and in the surrounding neighborhoods creating a safer environment for students. The Shillington and Cumru Police Departments look forward to riding side by side with the Governor Mifflin School District Office of Safe Schools to better serve the district as well as the surrounding commu- nities.”

The addition of bicycles is part of Governor Mifflin School District’s continued commitment to creating a safe school environment. The district hired a second, armed safe schools officer earlier this year and will hold its second, annual Keeping Kids Safe community symposium on October 10, 2016.

“We want to continue to have a 360-degree approach to safety on our campus,” said Yount. “That includes using proactive and collaborative measures to address all levels of security for our students and staff.”