Since 2003, Public Safety officers on bicycles have become a familiar sight on Catawba College's campus. The bicycles allow the officers better access to all areas of campus and the opportunity to be more in touch with students and the college community.

The bicycles offer an economic, efficient, effective and positive public interaction. Officers are physically accessible to community members and can easily stop and converse without holding up traffic. They are able to enter areas inaccessible to cars and provide a safe and unobtrusive presence. Since its start, the bike patrol has been a very proactive approach to crime prevention.

Public Safety Officers attended a 40-hour Law Enforcement Bicycle Patrol class where they were instructed on the fundamentals of patrolling on bikes. Two new Trek patrol bicycles, equipped with safety lights, reflectors, headlights and odometers and built especially for use by police departments, were purchased and have been used on a daily basis. The cycling officers, wearing special uniforms and equipment, have logged well over 400 miles around the campus.

Plans are for the bicycling officers to patrol campus on their two wheels in all but the most extreme weather conditions. Additionally, the bicycle patrols are used for special events at the college, including home athletic events.

The bicycle equipment was purchased using a portion of a gift designated for campus safety improvements by Catawba College Trustee Emeritus Enoch Goodman of Salisbury.