MUNCIE, Ind. -- Ball State University police expect to improve campus safety with an expanded bicycle patrol and new, multi-speed mountain bikes.

The University Police Department has added another full-time officer to the bike patrol and has replaced older Trek mountain bikes with newer versions, making officers more efficient, said Capt. Robert Fey.

The new bikes were purchased with donations made by the Ball State Alumni Association, the Ball State Federal Credit Union, First Merchants Bank, TIS Bookstore and B&B Campus Bike Shop.

"The bike patrol is a very cost-effective and environmentally sound approach to patrolling the campus and surrounding neighborhoods," Fey said. "Our officers are very personable individuals who understand the positive impact a bike patrol has on public relations, crime prevention and community policing."

The International Police Mountain Bike Association reports there are 1,200 bicycle units across the country. The average size of a unit is nine officers with several departments having more than 50 bike officers.

In addition to campus police agencies, military installations, city, county, shopping malls, security companies, transportation services, and park and wildlife departments enforce the law on bicycle.

The cost of a bike patrol is far less when compared to auto patrols. The average expense to equip one bike is about $1,200 with annual maintenance fees at $200. The average patrol car costs between $18,000 and $20,000, and annual maintenance costs range from $3,000 to $4,000.

Ball State officers assigned to the bike patrol are Bill Ellington and Vicki Houser on day shift, and Brad Tucker on evening patrol.

Ellington and Tucker recently completed a specialized bike officer-training course sponsored by The Ohio State University and Notre Dame police departments. The course included training on bike patrol tactics, bike safety, riding on difficult terrain and surfaces, apprehension techniques, physical fitness and conditioning.

"This is my third year on the bike patrol," Ellington said. "I have found that the university community has come to expect seeing us around the campus. I particularly enjoy the physical fitness and public relations aspect of my bike patrol duty."

Houser is the newest member of the bike patrol, moving to the new position during the summer. She is familiar with being an off-street patrol officer, spending eight years as a member of the department's now-discontinued horse patrol.

"It is a lot like the horse patrol because we can get to places that cars really can't," Houser said. "It's fun because you have a lot of up-close contact with the students, faculty and staff. And, the bikes are better than horses because we don't have to clean up after them."

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Fey by phone at 765-285-1210.)