FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, October 22, 2007 … The Framingham Police Department and Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation  co-sponsored a free safety skills Bicycle Rodeo on Saturday, October 20th.

Designed for youngsters aged 6 to 10, the Bicycle Rodeo took place at Framingham‘s Tercentennial Park. Young riders received bicycle safety instruction, then practiced their new skills on the Rodeo course.

“Knowing how to ride their bicycles right is an important lesson for our children,” said Robert P. Lamprey, chairman of the Framingham Co-operative Bank  Charitable Foundation. “We were pleased to work with the Framingham Police Department to promote safety skills in a friendly, fun environment like the Bicycle Rodeo.”

Rodeo Activities
Police officers guided children on their bicycles through a number of interactive safety experiences including Demon Driveway, Who’s There and Dodge ‘em Drive.

Kids also had a chance to win a brand new bicycle donated by Ski Market in Framingham, and a Ski Market representative was on hand to identify potential maintenance problems and show youngsters how to check and care for their bikes. Members of the Framingham Police Auxiliary provided child fingerprinting.

There were also demonstrations and tours of the Fire Safety House that was donated by the Charitable Foundation to the Framingham Fire Department last year.

Free Bicycle Helmets
Free bicycle helmets and safety kits were available to youngsters in attendance at the Rodeo.

“A properly fitted bicycle helmet can significantly reduce the risk of serious head and brain injury,” said Framingham Police Chief Steven Carl. “Massachusetts law requires any child 16 or younger to wear an approved helmet on a public way, bike path or on any other public right-of-way.

“But it makes good sense that a child on a bicycle should always wear a helmet, even in his or her own driveway.”

Police Sergeant Robert Downing, head of the department’s Bicycle Patrol Unit, and officers Chris Langmeyer and Robert Sibilio arranged the Bicycle Rodeo events, under the direction of Chief Carl. The officers are certified instructors for the International Police Mountain Bike Association, and train police officers and public safety cyclists from across the country and around the world.

New Mountain Bikes
Four brand new Volcanic mountain bikes donated to the Bicycle Patrol Unit last month by the Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation were on display at the Rodeo. The sturdy patrol bikes are manufactured exclusively for security, military, emergency medical response and law enforcement use.

The Bicycle Patrol Unit maintains a six-bicycle fleet and operates day and night year-round, weather permitting, providing on- and off-road coverage that bridges the gap between police vehicles and foot patrol. The utilization of mountain bicycles is one of the fastest growing trends in law enforcement and emergency medical response.

“Police bicycles are an urban police tool, designed for industrial use,” said  Chief  Carl. “The officers in the Unit provide effective, visible and accessible full-service policing in the community. Their mobility can be key in life-or-death situations.”

The Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation’s $10,000 grant to the Bicycle Patrol Unit provided for the purchase of the four mountain bikes complete with light/siren equipment, bike bags, and first-aid kits; special police bike jackets; and a bike maintenance tool kit. It also covered the purchase of  youth bike helmets and additional bike safety materials for youngsters.

A second annual Bicycle Rodeo is scheduled for late spring or early summer 2008.

The Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation was established by the Bank in 1998 to support charitable, educational and civic purposes within the greater Framingham area.

Framingham Co-operative Bank, a state-chartered institution established in 1889, has full-service offices at 828 Concord Street and One Lincoln Street in Framingham. The Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and a member of the Share Insurance Fund (SIF).