Free bikes from local police and nonprofit mean summer fun, transportation for area kids
More than a hundred children and teens were happily riding their new bicycles and wearing new helmets Thursday in Glenwood Park thanks to a local nonprofit and Greater Columbus law enforcement.
The park, which was the site of a fatal shooting last week, was the site of the third annual "Bikes & Badges" event where youths in need had access to new bikes and helmets as well a free cookout and games.
The event is a collaboration between Columbus Division of Police, other local law enforcement agencies, and Starfish Assignment, a nonprofit that works with law enforcement officers who identify needs in the areas they serve.
Bikes being given away ranged from small children's bikes with training wheels to adult-sized bikes for teens.
Brian King, 35, of the East Side, was at the event getting age-appropriate bikes for his small children. He said he was glad to see that it seemed like everyone who registered to get a bike was receiving one.
"It's something we definitely need right now because of everything that's been going on," King said. "I'm glad to see people giving back to the community."
Police gave away 140 bikes, organizers said, including more than 100 supplied from the Dublin Police Department.
Columbus police Lt. Chris Lieb said area police departments work with communities to gather bikes that may be collecting dust in a garage. The bike collection and giveaway, he said, is a great opportunity to distribute some of those unused bikes to those who need them most.
"Everybody has bikes sitting in their garage, or bikes they've grown out of," Lieb said. "Your bike sits and there's kids that don't have a bike."
Lieb said the event also served as a way for police to interact with community members in a positive way.
"Unfortunately, a lot of times, (interactions) are in a negative situation," Lieb said. "If we can get them into a better situation it changes their outlook on a police officer."
King said that in the wake of the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, it was good to see police making an effort to be visible in the communities they serve.
"There's such a huge stigma around cops right now," King said. "So it's good when cops give back to the community and show their faces — showing it's not all good and bad — they're people too."
Nicole Banks, Starfish Assignment president, said the annual event brought a smile to children's faces.
"As adults we forget how fun it is to get a bike as a child," Banks said. "But you'll see these kids when they get their bikes, they'll just have this grin on their faces because it's a joy to have it and have that freedom."
Jhaela Powell, 13, of the Hilltop, said she used to have a bike until it was stolen after she left it unattended. She said she was excited to have a bike again to visit friends, exercise and get to spend more time outdoors.
Shawnise Smith, 12, of Groveport, said she was glad to have a new bike after the tires on her last bike's wheels stopped working. She thanked police, Starfish Assignment and the Glenwood Park recreation staff for having the event.
"I think it's very nice of them," Smith said.
Kelica Smith, her mother, said the event was "awesome for the kids and the community."
Glenwood Park shooting
The Bikes and Badges event was planned at Glenwood Park before it was the scene of a fatal shooting June 15 that left 24-year-old Atayia Nichols dead and an 18-year-old woman wounded. A 15-year-old accused of shooting the two women was himself shot by an unidentified man who was not participating in a fight between two teen girls that preceded the shooting, but he was related to one of the participants.
15-year-old suspect in Hilltop shooting was in Columbus' anti-violence youth jobs program
Lieb said the Bikes and Badges event was a way for the community to start healing.
"After (the shooting), it was nice to be able to come back in and have this event here after the tragedy of last week, it starts that healing process," Lieb said.
King said the outreach was needed amid violence in the city.
"It affects everyone no matter what side of town you're on," King said.
A cellphone video of the Glenwood Park shooting released Wednesday by police shows two teenage girls fighting. One had apparently grabbed the other by the hair and was pulling her when police say 15-year-old Avent’tay Soloman — whose girlfriend was involved in the fight — began firing his gun into a group of people.
The incident is still under investigation.
cbehrens@dispatch.com
@colebehr_report
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Free bike program connects police and community members
