August 30th, 2022 – The Town of Islip Public Safety Division launched its Bike Patrol Unit in May, the first of its kind in the Town. Through the initiative, rangers have the ability to patrol across the Town’s marinas and parks on bicycles, and through the Town’s corresponding ‘Boat, Dock and Ride’ initiative, harbor patrol units can now widen their presence in multiple Fire Island communities in just one stop.

The Town recently graduated 5 additional park rangers from the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group’s 5-day bike course.

“The bike unit provides a unique opportunity for rangers to focus on proactive policing, and engage with the citizenry on a more personal level,” said Supervisor, Angie Carpenter. “The face-to-face contact with the public allows the bike unit to be more involved with the community. People are more likely to approach a ranger on a bicycle, and this fosters positive interaction, by making personal contact with our youth, our businesses community and homeowners,” added the Supervisor.

The bike unit is used for events such as races, parades, and civic demonstrations, and focuses on objectives including an increased awareness of bicycle safety, education and training; safety concerns for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists; quality of life issues or hazards, and to deter criminal activity, where motorized or foot patrols are impractical.