Bicycle Patrol

2005:

Congratulations to Officers Richard Marsh and Craig Yustein who were recently certified to be a part of Suffern's Bicycle Patrol Unit.

Launched in 2004:

The Suffern Police Department, with the assistance of the Suffern Chamber of Commerce and BMW Corporation launched its Bicycle Patrol Unit in June of 2004. BMW donated the two bicycles to start the unit and the Suffern Chamber of Commerce donated the uniform and equipment costs. The first two bicycle patrol officers are Sgt. Clarke Osborn and Officer Anne Cawley. Below is a picture taken on the day the unit was launched.

Rockland Journal News Article on Suffern's Bike Patrol:

Bicycles give police a leg up on crime

By STEVE LIEBERMAN

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: November 5, 2004)

Police Officer Ann Cawley stopped pedaling long enough to greet store owners and people in Suffern's main business district.

Dressed in a bright yellow shirt, black baggy pants and black boots and wearing a helmet with a Suffern police insignia, Cawley offered a wide smile and a firm handshake or wave, calling some by their first names.

Cawley patrols Suffern's downtown business district and other areas of the western Ramapo village on a mountain bike, one of two police officers in the unit.

"It looks so great to see the officers on bicycles," said Lillian Finkel, who owns Now & Then, a shop with jewelry and other items on Lafayette Avenue. "It adds to Suffern's small-town feeling. This is a safe town. Knowing the police are out there is a good feeling. We appreciate their presence."

Several Rockland departments have deployed police on bicycles or used them for special events.

Suffern is currently the only department with a bicycle patrol, harking back through the village's rich history to 1896, when three officers routinely pedaled around the downtown. Other departments use their bicycle patrols for special events; Suffern resurrected its bike patrol this year and uses the bicyclists as part of its regular patrol plan.

Suffern touts the bicycle squad as an extension of community policing, the concept of officers mixing with the public to show a presence and to become receptive to issues affecting neighborhoods.

Cawley and Sgt. Clarke Osborn are more than show. They issue traffic summonses, respond to emergencies and make arrests. Riding a bicycle gives officers more mobility in crowded business districts and more access to people than driving a patrol car, Cawley said. Getting delayed by traffic is not an issue; bicycle police can jump curbs and weave between pedestrians.

Suffern's business district along Lafayette Avenue and its side streets is filled with restaurants, small shops, banks, hair salons, convenience stores, pizzerias, a movie theater and a private school. The village hosts four street fairs a year, as well as several parades during holidays.

"I do the same duties on a bicycle as in a patrol car," Cawley said. "I have more freedom of movement. People are happy to see us on the street. We're out during the business times, when people are going to the restaurants, shopping or just walking around. People are more confident seeing us around."

Cawley, who became a Suffern officer eight years ago after three years with the Sheriff's Department, said that while bicycling gave police more visibility, it also gave her some stealth patrolling village parks or streets.

"You can sneak up better on a bicycle," she said, laughing. "People don't expect to see an officer on two wheels."

The formation of the bicycle squad comes at no cost to taxpayers. The two bicycles were donated by Prestige BMW of Ramsey, N.J., while the Suffern Chamber of Commerce paid for the equipment and uniforms. The police markings on the bikes were put on by Superior Signs of Suffern.

Most departments with bicycle patrols deploy them during special events, such as parades or street fairs. Spring Valley once used bicycle officers in its main business district, but staffing issues put officers back in patrol cars.

South Nyack-Grand View police occasionally dispatch officers on bicycles to police dozens of bicyclists who ride down River Road, mostly on the weekends. Village law mandates bicyclists ride in single file along the narrow, two-lane road overlooking the Hudson River. The penalty is a maximum $250 fine.

"We have done some bike patrols intermittently to enforce village laws," Police Chief Robert Van Cura said. "We write tickets to bicyclists on a regular basis and try to educate them on the village laws. We don't use them for community policing like other villages that have large downtown business districts."

Piermont once put officers on bikes to pedal around the village's small business area and hilly neighborhoods. Chief Thomas Gaynor said his village was one of the first to put officers on bikes in the early 1990s, but the idea vanished quickly. The village has a small force of six officers.

"It was not very practical," Gaynor said. "Here we have too many hills and a small business district. We tried it during heavy weekends when people came here. We have limited manpower and we were not getting the bang for our buck."

Clarkstown police use bicycle patrols during special events, but generally the town's roads are not conducive to bicycle patrols, with its many malls and busy streets.

Earlier this year, Osborn and Cawley completed a grueling five-day course in Monroe to become state-certified bicycle officers. The training involved riding 20 miles a day, along with practicing jumping off the bicycle and riding up and down staircases, and using the bicycle to make arrests and, if needed, as a defense tool.

"You took a lot of spills going up and down the stairs and riding hard," Cawley recalled. "It was fun training. And while we are still doing police work, we enjoy what we are doing and believe the public appreciates what we do."

Not everyone sees the officers riding around the village, but they know they are there.

"I don't see them all the time from here," said Sunny Patel, who manages Suffern Convenience Mart on Lafayette Avenue. "The bikes seem better than driving around in a patrol car."

Cawley stopped pedaling on a recent warm autumn day to speak with Vince Crapella, who owns Chazz Hair Designers. They spoke about the weather and issues in the village.

Crapella, president of the Suffern Chamber of Commerce, said afterward that the bicycle patrols not only increased security in the village, but also showed the commitment toward the community's continuing revitalization.

"Having officers on bikes or walking the community," he said, "brings back the good days."

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Community Policing

Personal Service

The Suffern Police Department strives to bring about true community policing.  The Suffern Police Department believes in total community policing where all officers contribute to the community policing concept.  We realize that every contact with the public is an opportunity to show residents and visitors a professional police service.

The Suffern Police Department has the advantage of serving a small geographical area where officers know residents and residents know officers - whether through school, sports, community groups or everyday contacts.   The Suffern Police Department dedicates two officers to addressing specific community and quality of life issues in a proactive manner, to avoid problems down the road.  In addition the department maintains a bicycle patrol unit, a foot patrol in the downtown area and a very active DARE program in several schools in the Ramapo Central School District.

Our Department also provides station tours to local childrens' groups, speakers on a variety of topics for community events, civic associations, and other interested community groups.   Please contact us if you are interested in a presentation.

CONTACTS for Community Policing:  Officer Louis Venturini.

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K-9 Unit

Officer Lou and K-9 Hero

K-9 Aran

The Suffern Police Departments K-9 Unit was established in 1993. Officer Lou Venturini became Suffern's first K-9 Officer when he teamed up with his partner, K-9 Aran. Aran was a German Shepard who was born and trained in Czechoslovakia. Upon coming to the United States K-9 Aran was further trained at Sukee Kennels in Rockland, Maine. Officer Venturini and Aran proudly served the Suffern Police Department from 1993-2004. During their tenure together they had numerous narcotics and weapons arrests as well as many successful criminal apprehensions. They are also responsible for successfully aiding officers locate missing children and elderly residents. Officer Venturini and K-9 Aran received many awards including the United States Police K-9 Association's "Top Dog Award."

After the terror attacks in New York City on September 11, 2001, the unit served as a search and rescue K-9 at the World Trade Center. K-9 Aran passed away March 30, 2004 but his legacy will remain forever with both his fellow officers and the Suffern community where he was adored by all.

K-9 Hero

In 2004 Officer Venturini was teamed up with his new partner, K-9 Hero. K-9 Hero has already left his mark on our community for his many arrests, apprehensions, and his visits to our schools where he is loved by all of our students. In 2006 this unit received a grant for a new K-9 vehicle from Senator Thomas Morahan and is still in use at this time. The Suffern Police Department and the Village of Suffern proudly sponsor this unit and are extremely appreciative of Officer Venturini and K-9 Hero. "Because everyone needs a Hero!"

   

Sadly, K-9 "Aran" passed away on March 30, 2004 and will be missed by all.

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Motorcycle Unit

The Suffern Police Department Motorcycle Unit was formed in January 2008. The department purchased a Harley Davidson Police Motorcycle for this detail.  This unit serves in several important roles for the department including patrol, traffic enforcement as well as parades and community events.  Suffern's unit consists of Sgt. John Gloede and PO Glen Wilson who both attended extensive training for this detail. 

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Detective Bureau

The Suffern Police Department operates with a full time Detective Bureau who handle the department’s criminal investigations.   This highly trained unit has a Juvenile Aid Bureau which it oversees as well which deals with Juvenile crimes and issues.  This unit is supervised by Det. Sgt. Ray Sheehan.