Youths who wear helmet in line for summer treat
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer

FREEHOLD - Youngsters who obey a law that requires wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle are in for a treat - a free ice from Rita's Ice.

Freehold Borough Patrolman Ronnie Steppat said Police Chief Mitch Roth asked him to take the initiative to "start the summer out right" by finding a way to encourage children to wear a helmet when they are riding a bicycle or a skateboard, or roller skating.

Steppat wanted to take a positive approach and spoke with John Mouradian, who owns Rita's Ice at the corner of Throckmorton and West Main streets.

Mouradian offered to supply police officers with coupons they can hand out to youngsters who comply with the helmet law. The coupon will entitle the child to receive a free treat from Rita's.

"When an officer sees a child wearing a helmet while riding their bicycle or skating or skateboarding, they will stop the child and give him or her a coupon for the free ice," Steppat explained.

Steppat said a state law requires all people under the age of 17 to wear a helmet while bicycling, skate boarding, in-line skating or roller skating.

Rather than punishing a youngster by giving him a ticket - which police have the authority to do - the officers have decided to reward those who follow the directive and obey the law.

"We will do everything possible to keep kids safe," Steppat said. "We are taking a proactive positive approach to this issue rather than a punishing one. We are trying to avoid punishing, but we have not witnessed very much compliance with the law."

Steppat said the idea of the law is to keep children safe. He is also trying to keep parents from having to take a day off from work to appear in court with their child if a ticket is issued. Steppat said a court appearance is mandatory for the violation and fines are at the discretion of the municipal judge.

"I would much rather see the money that would have to be spent on a fine for violating the ordinance go toward buying a helmet. We want to continue to use a positive approach to having kids comply with the law," Steppat said, but added that if a positive approach does not work, eventually, tickets will have to be issued.