The Durham Police Department and Performance Bicycle will distribute 300 safety whistles and train volunteers to help police the American Tobacco Trail during an "Our Trails, Our Town" event Saturday.
From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Performance Bicycle will hand out safety whistles to trail users at the Southpoint Crossings and Morehead Avenue trailhead entrances to the American Tobacco Trail.
Beginning at 11 a.m., the Durham Police Department will train 15 volunteers, who have already been pre-screened, at the Morehead Avenue trailhead entrance to the American Tobacco Trail. As part of this training, safety vests and whistles will also be provided to these volunteers.
Recent attacks have roused calls for the city to improve trail security. There have been at least nine incidents -- assaults, robberies and a sexual offense -- on the popular greenway since mid-May. Police have made three arrests, increased patrols, investigated installing video cameras and bought three utility terrain vehicles for trail use.
