The Ohio University Police Department and the WellWorks program are teaming up to provide a platform for those in the Athens community to get together and interact.
Created by OUPD Community Relations Officer John Stabler, Stroll Patrol is a joint program that allows OHIO students, faculty and staff as well as area citizens the opportunity to have casual conversations about things in the community over an approximately one-mile walk.
Every Tuesday and Thursday around noon, those interested can meet up between Bird Arena and Grover Center. Walks typically last no more than 30 minutes and walkers get in on average 3,000 steps per stroll walking one of the many designated routes.
Right now, the Stroll Patrol is averaging about seven people, a number that Jennifer Bennett, the director of WellWorks, would like to see expand.
“Wellness is something the whole University and community can get around, it does not matter your age,” Bennett said. “It is a chance to get outside and an excuse to get away from your desk without having guilt.”
Special guests so far have included Jenny Hall-Jones, senior associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students, and numerous OUPD officers. Exercise phycologists, historians and dietitians are among those who may also be guests in the near future, as well as the dogs from OUPD’s K-9 unit.
For Stabler, this program is exactly what’s needed to help build bridges between the community and police officers. Noting how citizens are more likely to approach police officers while they are with dogs, on a bike, or on horse, Stabler said he wants people to feel comfortable interacting with the police.
“We want people to be able to see police officers and be able to talk and interact and not feel as concerned when they see the uniform,” he said. “We have to get back to that sense of community. If we can get back as a community and do things with one another, we see each other differently, we are able to interact and know even if we have a difference of opinion, we can still be friends.”
When spring comes around, Stabler said that he hopes to have a program called “Pedal with the Police,” where officers will ride with those in the community and teach bike safety. As of now though, the Stroll Patrol program will continue, even during the chill of winter.
“Just because its cold out doesn’t mean we can’t have fun with outdoor activities,” Stabler said. “We just have to dress right.”
Stroll Patrol events can be found on OHIO’s Calendar of University Events (CUE), searching OUPD, as well as the OUPD Twitter feed and WellWorks’ Facebook page.