When the Mountain Bike Unit started, Lt. Reif hopped on a bike. He spent the next 18 years patrolling the community on two wheels. He says bikes can get places where cars cannot. They’re also quiet and offer an element of surprise when needed. Children love seeing the bikes on the street, Lt. Reif says. Bikes give police and kids something in common. They’re fun and they’re not threatening. Lt. Reif’s second idea blossomed after a fifth grade teacher asked him to talk to her students about their poor behavior. Problems included fights, bullying, thefts, and classroom disruptions. The teacher also mentioned that her students didn’t think highly of police officers. Lt. Reif’s classroom talk went well and led to more visits. The teacher soon reported that her students’ behavior had improved. “We wanted to make the kids realize they can trust officers,” he says. Officers are fathers and mothers and community members—not bad guys. Lt. Reif continued to work with the teacher and they developed a program that has become the department’s 5th Grade Mentoring Program. Initially, officers from the bicycle unit served as mentors. Today, Upper Darby officers—including captains, lieutenants, and detectives—volunteer to make monthly visits to more than 40 fifth grade Lt. James Reif Building connections between youth and police Lt. James Reif says every day is different in police work. Each day, he responds to calls for help from the public. On good days, he helps a lot of people. Lt. Reif has been a member of the Upper Darby Police Department since 1988, after spending four years in the Navy. His father was a police officer and he wanted to continue the family tradition. From his father, he learned an officer could be a positive influence by working with children. “I saw the interaction he had with kids,” says Lt. Reif who moved to Upper Darby from Clifton Heights when he was 13. “It was special.” Inspired by his father, Lt. Reif has created two programs that let police officers help keep children out of trouble. His goal is for officers to be seen as mentors, not just as law enforcers. His first idea was to establish a police bike unit in the mid-1990s. He had learned about bike units by reading and making inquiries. He was particularly impressed by the success of a Seattle, Wash., program. So was Upper Darby’s police superintendent. 20