Provo locals and the Police Department are teaming up to help improve trail safety. Police train volunteers to ride the trail on bike to report any suspicious behavior.

Officer Kreston Bascom said, “We hope that by involving them it expands our capabilities, as far as being in more places and seeing more crimes happen. Therefore making it a safer community.”

Local community trail walker Eva King said, It’s really important if people would volunteer to do something like that. It would make me feel better and I’m sure it would make other people feel a little bit safer.”

The neighborhood bike watch could provide an opportunity for people to enjoy the outdoors while feeling protected. Any local resident can fill out an application at the police station to become a volunteer for the neighborhood bike watch. The application must be turned in and will be accepted only after a background check.

Provo resident Lee Houghton founded the bike patrol and hopes that others will join in on the good cause.

“I think as citizens our concern would be it’s really ours to lose”, said Houghton. “So if we don’t manage it properly, and we can’t expect the police department to manage it and just take care of it for us. We just need to be a little more proactive with it.”

The group hopes to get enough volunteers that each one only needs to patrol the trail once a month. The idea provides people with the chance to help make the city a better place.

To volunteer for the bike watch program, you can visit the Facebook group, “Fans of the Provo River”, or contact Officer Bascom to complete an application.

• About the Author
• Author's latest posts

Kory Aldous

Latest posts by Kory Aldous (Posts)

• Psychiatrists Salaries at the Utah State Hospital. - April 10, 2012
• Sandstrom resigns from Legislature. - April 3, 2012
• La Nay Ferme. - March 27, 2012