Many people may think that deputies only patrol Collier County in squad cars, but bicycles are one mode of transportation that can really officers keep communities safe and help them develop one-on-one relationships with local residents.Mike Moore, president of the Saturnia Lakes homeowners association in Golden Gate, recently wrote a letter to CCSO Golden Gate Commander Lt. Rich Hampton expressing his appreciation for the efforts of Cpl. Bruce Cordivari, who routinely patrols the area by bike.
“His tenacity and professionalism has leveraged, or greatly magnified, the impact of bike patrols,” Moore wrote. “Communications have been significantly enhanced, and we have been following up on Cpl. Cordivari’s information with administrative/disciplinary action imposed by our community.”
With the efforts of our residents combined with the efforts of the CCSO, it has truly been a case where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Thanks to Cpl. Cordivari and the District 2 personnel for all that they have been doing for our neighborhood. It has made a huge change for the better,” Moore concluded.
Cordivari is one of many CCSO deputies countywide who help keep communities safe by participating in the bike patrol program. Cpl. Robert Capizzi also patrols the Golden Gate area on his bicycle.
Corporals Carmine Marceno, Dave Krantz, Patricia Williams and Ronny Turi use the program to combat crime trends such as daytime burglaries in parking lots and to facilitate more face-to-face communication in North Naples.
“This close contact assists us in the enhanced gathering of information,” said Sgt. Jake Walker, in charge of the North Naples C.O.P deputies.
Corporals Sandra Mendez, Mike Nelson, Rob Reu, Angela Ison and Bill Pschigoda patrol East Naples in a similar capacity. Nelson and Reu responded to complaints of kids racing around on motor scooters throughout the River Reach homes/apartments Wednesday afternoon.
Their goal was to locate the drivers of the scooters and educate them on safety.
Corporals Mike Taylor, Wendell Davis and Ana Russell patrol the area of Immokalee. They each make sure to patrol the neighborhoods at least once a week on their bikes as well as on ATVs and the substation’s Segway. When the school year is in session, they patrol around the schools and areas where children gather.
“The kids and the schools like to see us around,” Taylor said.
Deputies interested in doing bike patrol have to do more than just jump up on a Huffy and ride. All deputies who have bike patrol duties are required to take and pass a rigorous 32-hour police cycling course taught by the International Police Mountain Bike Association.
Above & Below: Cpl. Mike Nelson and Cpl. Rob Reu patrol the River Reach area in East Naples after receiving complaints of kids racing around on motor scooters.
