The Bloomsburg Initiative

The Bloomsburg Initiative established in 1997 combines members of Bloomsburg University and the Town of Bloomsburg in an attempt to educate, prevent, deter and provide alternatives to alcohol use and abuse.

The Bloomsburg Initiative is composed of representatives of local government, University, school district, law enforcement, student bodies, liquor establishments, the legal system, and drug and alcohol treatment agencies. The team of persons listed have coordinated their efforts and provided a comprehensive approach to attack the problems associated with high risk drinking. The town government and University have partnered to take leadership responsibility and have provided in-kind- support from this community coalition.

Officer Lenny Rogutski with BU student trying on special goggles that emulates being under the influence of alcohol.

Bloomsburg Bike Patrol

The Bloomsburg Police Bike Patrol was created in 1999 and has a two-fold mission. The first is to enhance the community-policing image of the department. Patrolling on a bike places the officers closer to the community and has been well received by the public. The second is a more traditional enforcement role. During certain special events particularly those involved with large crowds, police officers on bikes have proven to be more effective than officers on foot or in patrol cars.

No Place For Hate

The Philadelphia Anit-Defamation League is recognizing the Town of Bloomsburg as a No Place for Hate community. The No Place for Hate campaign is dedicated to mobilizing citizens to challenge bigotry and to promote prejudice-free communities in which all people are appreciated for their differences.


Ride Along Program

Participants at or above the age of sixteen now have the chance to join the Ride Along Program. This program gives a participant the opportunity to ride along with a police officer for a maximum of six hours. If you are interested in the program, a waiver must first be signed in person at the Bloomsburg Police Department. To read more about the Ride Along Program click here.

D.A.R.E. Program

The Bloomsburg Police Department in conjunction with the Bloomsburg School District instituted the D.A.R.E. program in the Bloomsburg School District in 1995. Since its inception over 1000 students have successfully completed the core program. Presently the Bloomsburg Police Department has one officer assigned to the program.

D.A.R.E., Drug Abuse Resistance Education, is an innovative program designed to prevent substance abuse through education. Since its inception in 1983, the D.A.R.E. program has been instituted in all 50 states. D.A.R.E. is a preventative program. Its goal is to equip today’s youth with skills to resist peer pressure to experiment with and use harmful drugs.

The D.A.R.E. program offers a unique opportunity for uniformed officers to interact with juveniles in an educational setting. The D.A.R.E. core program is a 17-week program presented at the 5th grade level. The D.A.R.E. lessons focus on providing accurate information about alcohol and drugs and teaching students proper decision-making skills. The Bloomsburg Police D.A.R.E. program is taught by Patrolman Bradley Sharrow. Any questions regarding the D.A.R.E. program can be directed to Patrolman Sharrow at (570)784-4155.

School Resource Officer