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June 02, 1979 - Image 3

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
Michigan Daily, 1979-06-02

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The Michigan Daily-Saturdiay, June 2, 1979-Page 3
Cop patrols eampus on bicycle

By TIM YAGLE
Many students and Ann Arbor
residents may be surprised to see a
police officer whiz across the Diag on a
bicycle. But Patrolman Walter Willard
who rides through the campus area four
days -a week on a red Schwinn three-
speed, said the unique patrolling
technique has numerous advantages.
"I enjoy the bike because it's a more
efficient way of getting around," said
the nine-year veteran of the Ann Arbor
Police Department (APD). "You are

'People try to make conversa-
lion with you just because it s
(a patrolman on a bicycle) un-
usual ... They make off-the-
wall remarks. Some say you're
just like the bobbies in Lon-
don. You never know whether
they are trying to be nice or
are patronizing.'
-AAPD Patrolman
Walter Willard
better able to patrol the area . .. and
you are more visible."
WILLARD, WHO carries a two-way
radio, said by bicycling he can avoid
the traffic snarls patrol cars may en-
counter. "I can beat the car there (to-
the scene) on 90 per cent of the calls in
the downtown area."
According to campus patrol super-
visor Capt. Kenneth Klinge, voluntary
assignment changes come every three

months, but Willard has stuck to the
campus beat because, he said, he en-
joys working withstudents.
Willard, whose beat encompasses
central campus and the downtown
shopping area, said he has all-the power
of a regular officer in a patrol car, in-
cluding writing tickets. "People are
surprised at what I can do," he said.
WILLARD SAID he stays around the
Diag most of the time because "it gives
me better leeway to both S. Univesity
and downtown."
Willard, who expects to soon receive
a criminal law degree from Eastern
Michigan University, said he has en-
countered some strange experiences
while patrolling the Diag. .
"People try to make conversation
with you just because it's (a patrolman
on a bicycle) unusual," he said. "They
make off-the-wall remarks. Some say
you're just like the bobbies in London.
You never know whether they are
trying to be nice or are patronizing."
IN DEALING with students, Willard
said, "They are victimized more of then
anyone else . . . they're naive and not
always willing to prosecute.
"They're idealistic," he commented.
"They have material (stereos, records,
radios, etc.) other people want."
Willard claimed the AAPD does not
use the privately-donated bicycle as
much as it should. He said in many
cases, especially in pursuing suspected
criminals, a bicycle is much quiker
than a car.
HE ALSO CLAIMED the AAPD is
"stuck on tradition" in not allowing him
to use the bicycle more. Willard said
the AAPD wants to maintain its "tough
guy image with the big guns and riding
in the big patrol car" rather than adap-
ting to more efficient methods of law
enforcement.
Willard said the patrolling of an open
area like the Diag is a good example of
a place where access is much easier by
bicycle.

Daily Photo by LISA UDELSON
AAPD OFFICER Walter Willard patrols the campus and the downtown shopping
district on a red Schwinn bicycle. Willard, who said he sometimes receives "off-
the-wall" comments from passers-by, is an Eastern Michigan University criminal
law degree candidate.

0 Ial.June 9 Yard Sale. Wildflour, a non-
profit cooperative, will accept any
..hit dl is yucA1n utter.

NNW"

Spicy omelet
While fluffy omelets may be a
gourmet's delight, two high school of-
ficials in Wentzville, Missouri found
an egg concoction prepared by two
students to be a real trip. School of-
ficials alleged the Wentzville High
School pupils served an LSD-laced
omelet to the assistant principal and
his secretary during a home
economics class. The two officials
claimed they suffered headaches,
dizziness, hot flashes, and upset
stomachs after consuming the
omelet on May 16. Authorities said a
chemical analysis of the leftovers
revealed possible traces of LSD.
While the suspended students claim
they had no parf in the prank, their
diplomas have been delayed.
Perhaps they are just bad cooks.
Yard sale donations
Today is the last day to drop off
your contribution to the Wildflour
LCommunity Bakery Co-op for its

wnite eiepnants you can otter.
Proceeds from the sale will help pay
for the bakery's new mixer, which
broke last month.
Happenings ...
. .. start at 10 a.m. today when the
Arbor Alliance's bus leaves from the
Union for the anti-nuke rally at Nike
Park in Monroe. Round-trip fare is
$4 per person. Call PIRGIM for
details ... pick up some tips on th
health care industry at the Inter-
national Association for the Advan-
cement of Appropriate Technology
for Developing Countries' seminar
on "Traditional Health Practices as
Adjuncts to Modern Health
Technology" at 10 a.m., Rackham
East Conference Room. .. The Ann
Arbor Center for Independent Living
is offering a choice of seminars.
Take your pick of "Disability and
Medical Care Systems" in Room
1909 at Washtenaw Community
College's Student Center Building. of

"Make the Medical Care System
Work For You" in Room 1908. Both
seminars begin at 1p.m.... the Ark
presents Margaret MacArthur, with
songs and stories from Vermont, at 9
p.m., 1421 Hill ... Gay Delanghe
and Dancers will be at the Dance
Bldg., 1310 N. University, 8
p.m.... FILMS: Ann Arbor Film
Co-op presents Eraserhead at 7 p.m.
and 10:20 p.m., and I Changed My
Sex at 8:40 p.m., both in MLB Aud.
3 ... Cinema Guild presents Hitch-
cock's Secret Agent at 7:30 p.m. and
9:30 p.m., Old Arch.
Aud.... Cinema II presents Who's
Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, at 7:30
p.m. and 9:40 p.m. at Angell Hall,
Aud. A ... SUNDAY: The Ann Ar-
bor Chapter of the Indoor Light Gar-
dening Society of America will host
a plant show at Matthaei Botanical
Gardens at 1 p.m.... spy on the
country's intelligence community
when the American Civil Liberties
Union of Michigan's Washtenaw
County Chapter presents the film In-
telligence Network and a discussion
about government spying at 7 p.m.,

at the First Unitarian Church, 1917
Washtenaw ... FILMS: Cinema II
presents Fellini's La Strada at 7:30
p.m. and 9:30 p.m. at Angell Hall,
Aud. A... Cinema Guild presents
Rupolph Valentino in Son of the
Sheik at 8 p.m., Old Arch. Aud.
... MONDAY: The Conference and
Institutes Department of the
University's Extension Service is
sponsoring a spring-summer sym-
posium for social workers and
human service personnel featuring
39 workshops at the Michigan
League through June 29 ... act now
to try out for the 10th Ann Arbor
Medieval Festival's Open Meeting
and Play Auditions at 7:30 p.m.,
Michigan Union, Assembly Hall.
On the outside
Believe it or not, that round,
yellow ball of light in the sky is
really the sun, and it will keep
shining today as the temperature
climbs to the mid-70s. The low Will
hit the 50s.

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