LAKEWOOD —Hikers, runners and cyclists in Lakewood’s open space parks count on the volunteer mountain bike patrol to help with problems and defuse tensions.
For six years, the group has been patrolling Bear Creek Lake Park, the and William Frederick Hayden Park.
“It’s great to have some sort of authority figure,” said Jeff O’Brien, store manager at Green Mountain Sports, 12364 W. Alameda Parkway.
O’Brien, an avid cyclist who visits Bear Creek Lake Park four or five times a week, described tension among park-goers as “friction,” and he thinks the patrol does a good job settling conflicts and helping with other problems that occur in the parks.
“They’re there to help people that are out of their element: the tourists, the new-to-cycling person that doesn’t know where to go, the lost people, those that are in over their head,” said O’Brien. “They help you get back to your car, they encourage you, and they’re just a good group of people.”
Claude Selitrennikoff, a volunteer since the patrol’s inception and a long-time cyclist, said that the patrol is closely affiliated with the park rangers, without any intimidation factor.
“We’re the eyes and ears of the rangers,” Selitrennikoff said. “They can’t be everywhere, but it’s important that they know what’s going on.”
Selitrennikoff said the patrol’s main jobs are educating people on park rules, giving trail directions, interacting with park-goers, answering questions, ensuring that dogs are on leashes and administering first aid.
Unlike the rangers, the patrol has no law enforcement abilities. Due to this, Selitrennikoff thinks they can be perceived as more approachable than the rangers.
Another patroller, Michael Raber, agreed.
“We’re not intimidating. People are more prone to talk to us and get help,” said Raber. “We’re more approachable than someone who is in uniform.”
Recently, Raber helped a cyclist in the park with a common problem: “I helped a guy the other night who had never changed a tire before. That happens all the time.”
Such situations are frequent, but patrollers also deal with problems that are less commonplace, such as snake bites.
Per the requirements, each member of the 20-person patrol must be CPR certified and trained in first aid every year.
The group is also required to meet a slew of other credentials and must go through an application process, said and co-founder of the bike patrol, Andrew Sprafke.
“We start recruitment each year in February or March,” said Sprafke. “They submit an application, and then we do a short interview to make sure they’re a good fit and that they understand their requirements. Then they complete a criminal background check, and lastly they’re enrolled in our formal volunteer training program.”
In the program, patrollers are asked situational questions such as, “How would you respond to this park emergency?”
Once accepted, volunteers are asked to patrol twice a month, though they are welcome to do more.
“I have a pretty wide variety of volunteers right now,” said Sprafke. “I have extremely motivated volunteers who patrol six to eight times in summers, and some who don’t quite meet their two-per-month goal but do patrol all year round.”
The volunteers are fulfilling Sprafke’s goals for the group: to be extremely friendly extensions of the park rangers and to set precedence as exemplary park-goers.
“These are actual community members who truly care for the parks, and they help us communicate with park users and set the very best example for them,” said Sprafke.
He thinks the patrol has encouraged more community involvement in Lakewood’s open space parks and has brought the city together.
“I think it’s really brought what we’re looking for,” said Sprafke. “It brought the community — particularly the mountain bikers who tend to be aggressive on the trails—together and has brought education to the parks. It’s been 100 percent successful.”
Catherine Elsby: celsby@denverpost.com
