Officer Wall, Raphael Coffino, winner of the bike and helmet raffle, and Officer Rudisill; see more photos inside
by Susie Pender
July 31, 2009
As they gathered on the Bell field for Bike Safety Day, all eyes were on the gleaming black motorcycle: the Gummy Bears, the Twizzlers, the Jolly Ranchers and the Lollipops, not to mention the Snickers, the Milky Ways and the Three Musketeers, to name just a few of the Camp Adventure groups waiting for Bike Officer Heather Rudisill to begin her talk on bike safety.
Every summer for the past 15 years, the New Castle Police Benevolent Association has sponsored a Bike Safety Day and Hot Dog Lunch for Camp Adventure kids, who range in age from six to ten. The PBA provides off-duty New Castle police officers who volunteer for the day to educate the campers about bike safety and cook them hot dogs in the Bell cafeteria accompanied by chips, water and plenty of ketchup. The PBA sponsors a raffle as well of three new bike helmets and a brand-new bike and bike helmet purchased at Julio’s Bicycle Shop in Chappaqua.
“Every police officer in the New Castle Police Department is a member of the PBA,” explained Sergeant Jim Carroll, head of the 12-officer bike unit. Two officers from the bike unit, Officer Heather Rudisill and Field Trainer Officer Richard Tolliver, as well as one officer from the motorcycle unit, Matthew Wall, and three patrol officers, Officer Brian Bruno, Officer Nicholas Cosentino and Officer Shelby Pileggi volunteered for this year’s Bike Safety Day. The Chappaqua Fire Department also pitched in, donating ice to keep the water cold and refreshing on this hot, sunny day.
“Whoa, a motorcycle!”
As the 212 campers and their counselors began appearing from every corner of the Bell School property to assemble for the bike safety demonstration, many stopped in their tracks, spontaneously uttering, “Whoa, a motorcycle!” As Officer Wall rode his motorcycle onto the field before the gathering crowd, eyes widened, jaws dropped. One child raised his hand: “Can we win the motorcycle?” he asked Camp Director Tony Letizia hopefully.
After Director Letizia ran through his attention-getting routine: “clap once if you can hear me, clap; clap twice if you can hear me, clap, clap; clap three times if you can hear me, clap, clap, clap,” Officer Rudisill began her demonstration before a quiet crowd. The campers learned why they should always wear their bike helmets, because the body part most often injured in a fall is the head. And that flip-flops are not good for biking; close-toed shoes are what should be worn. “But what do you do with the laces?” she asked the group. Everyone responded as one: “Tuck them in!” She informed the campers that if they are less than 10 years old, they are supposed to ride on the sidewalk, not in the roadway.
She demonstrated, and the campers mimicked, the hand signals for turns and stops. One camper asked: “Do police officers catch bad guys on bicycles?” She not only answered in the affirmative, but she and Sergeant Carroll demonstrated in the Bell School parking lot how she chases down bad guys, with Sergeant Carroll obliging as a running-away bad guy with her on her bike in hot pursuit.
The three campers who took home new bike helmets looked pleased as punch with their prizes, as did the winner of the new bike. Everyone else looked equally pleased with their hot dogs, chips and water.
Bike Officer Rudisill and Sargeant Carroll demonstrating how she uses her bike defensively.
Bike Officer Rudisill chasing the bad guy (Sargeant Carroll).
Bike Officer Rudisill catching up to the bad guy (Sargeant Carroll).
Officer Heather Rudisill demonstration a left turn signal.
Camp Adventure kids learning how to make a left turn signal on a bike.
Officer Matthew Wall demonstrating the safety vest he wears when he patrols on his motorcycle.
Camp Director Letizia, his staff and New Castle police officers organizing raffle tickets.
Officer Wall pulling winning raffle tickets from Officer Rudisill’s bike helmet.
Camper claiming bike helmet prize from Camp Director Letizia.
Officer Tolliver and Sargeant Carroll preparing hot dogs for the campers.
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