St. George Police Week features Cops and Robbers race, bike safety event

ST. GEORGE — Police officers in St. George are switching roles, from cops to robbers, in an annual fun run that allows residents to chase each other in a one-of-a-kind race.

The event, called "Cops and Robbers," is hosted by the St. George Police Department as part of its annual Police Week. There are 1K, 5K, 10K, and 10-mile distances, and participants who choose to be "robbers" get a 1-minute head start ahead of those who choose the role of "cops."

"It's a fun way to connect with many of the people who live here," said St. George police spokeswoman Tiffany Mitchell. "We created it so that we could celebrate Police Week, but share it with the community.

"A lot of our officers race with their families," she added. "A lot of the time, they choose to be robbers, so they get to change sides if they want. The cops and robbers each get a different color shirt to wear so you tell them apart and everyone gets a pair of socks."

The event is scheduled for Saturday, May 16, at Confluence Park in St. George and requires registration and a fee. The night before the race, during packet pickup at 5 p.m., the police department is hosting another free event for the community, which they hope will teach bike safety in a fun, safe environment.

"This Friday, we're holding our Roll with Patrol community bike ride, which is a free event," said active transportation coordinator Lloyd Sutton. "There's a smaller kids' cone course where kids can test their bike skills in an officer-supervised obstacle course where they learn about street signs. They can get a light installed on their bike and there are also some free helmet fittings and information on some new laws surrounding helmets for kids."

The new law took effect on May 6, requiring riders of e-bikes and e-motorcycles under 21 to wear a helmet while traveling on public roads. Sutton said that while e-bikes and scooters are allowed at the event on Friday, there are rules to follow.

"If there's no motor — whether it's a bike or a scooter or a skateboard — those are allowed on the trails," he said. "If it has a motor assist, it has to be under 20 mph. If it's over that 20 mph mark, it's considered the same as a motor vehicle, and it has to follow road and traffic laws and all the registration and insurance requirements, and those aren't allowed at this event."

Sutton said he hopes people who attend Roll with Patrol come away having learned something in a safe, fun environment.

"This is the fifth year for the event, and it's been beneficial for the community to come interact with the police officers in a casual setting," he said. "It also helps people who may not be comfortable on our trail systems to get out in a supervised setting with people who know the system really well. This will hopefully help them get to the point where they feel comfortable exploring the trails more on their own."

Information for both events can be found on the St. George website.

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