Bethlehem Lt. Jason Schiffer Tops
on Bike
by Pamela Lehman
The Morning Call
As Bethlehem police Lt. Jason Schiffer patrolled the South Side on his mountain
bike Friday morning, a passing motorist called out asking for directions
to the new casino. It was a question he heard at least a dozen times that
morning, and Schiffer didn't seem to mind.
He's a man who wears many hats - award-winning bicycle officer, part-time
lawyer and father. He might as well add tour guide to the list.
Schiffer, 39, and his fellow Bethlehem officers again ranked in the tops
among hundreds of bike police officers from 40 states around the United States
and nine countries at the International Police Mountain Bike Association
Conference.
Schiffer placed first in the obstacle course and first in his age category
at the competition held May 1 in New Mexico. Bethlehem police officer Jon
Pesesko also placed first in his age category and was second overall for
the obstacle course.
The top spot in the competition is a familiar one for Schiffer. Since he
began competing in 2001, he has scored a first-place spot six times in various
categories.
Schiffer is also the only Bethlehem police officer to have graduated from
law school and passed the bar exam. He works full time as a police officer
and part time as a labor and employment attorney at Hahalis & Kounoupis
in Bethlehem.
And if that's not enough, he's the father of a nearly 2-year-old daughter
and he and his wife, Kathy, are expecting a son this summer.
"Yeah, it makes for some long days sometimes," Schiffer said. "But my wife
and I decided we would forgo immediate fun for a better future."
Bike riding is in Schiffer's blood. He began racing BMX bikes when he was
12 and moved to mountain bike races at 20. When he heard about Bethlehem's
police bike unit, Schiffer knew it was a perfect fit. He joined in 1998,
four years after the unit was introduced.
Schiffer and the bike patrol unit not only can get into areas where a patrol
car can't, but officers on bicycles are more approachable and a great outreach
in the community, said Bethlehem police Deputy Commissioner Stuart Bedics.
"[Schiffer] is an excellent resource for us," Bedics said. "If you give him
a task, he'll complete it no matter what."
Schiffer said he was driven to pursue a law degree because he wanted another
career choice once his days as a police officer are over.
He described himself as "missing in action" during the four years he worked
full time as a police officer and spent four nights a week driving to
Philadelphia for night classes to finish his law degree.
"There were some days where it was 20 hours nonstop," Schiffer said. He credits
his wife with the support that allowed him to pursue his dream.
"There's no doubt it's been equally as hard on her as it has been on me,"
Schiffer said.
This article appeared in the May 26,
2009, edition of the Allentown Morning Call, Allentown, Pennsylvania. It
was reprinted in the Summer 2009 issue of IPMBA News.
More Stories from the 2009 IPMBA
Conference...
|
