Essex bylaw enforcement is going mobile.
The town has launched a new bicycle patrol program, putting bylaw officers on two refurbished bikes acquired through a partnership with the Ontario Provincial Police.
Mayor Sherry Bondy says residents often want to see municipal staff out in the community.
“We came across refurbished bikes from the OPP and now we will have members of our bylaw enforcement out, down our roads and in our parks around Colchester Beach, to increase visibility and to also look for infractions,” she said.
Bondy says the bicycles will help bylaw officers reach places where vehicles have limitations.
“It means that they’re not burning fossil fuels, and they can get down into places easier,” she said.
“If we’re talking about Sadler’s Pond, people that have been following the Town of Essex, we’ve had a lot of complaints about dogs off leash and, people not picking up after their dogs.”
She says the initiative delivers results without a major financial commitment.
“It’s just already in our budget because we got the bikes for free. Our staff did have to take some training through the Ontario Provincial Police. They have the same training there and they’ve done some research, but this is something that was a really low cost and now it’ll allow greater visibility,” Bondy said.
She adds that the program is about enforcement and education, helping officers connect more directly with residents while continuing to issue tickets and respond to bylaw concerns when necessary.