Family Tides
If Galloway resident Jared Berns could go for a bike ride every day, there’s no doubt he would.
Berns, who has cerebral palsy and a developmental disability, isn’t shy about asking others to join him. Mary Connors, who works as Berns’ direct support professional, said he’ll invite just about anyone — from supermarket cashiers to police officers.
“Constantly. Everywhere we go. He would ride every day if he could,” said Connors, who also described Berns as a close friend and said they’re “pretty much inseparable.”
It was Berns’ passion for biking — and a simple request to local officers — that sparked Pedal with the Police, a new event held July 3 and hosted by the Galloway Township and Absecon police departments at the South Jersey Field of Dreams in Absecon.
Designed with individuals with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities in mind, the event invited participants of all ages, along with their families and caregivers, to walk or ride side by side with local officers for a morning of inclusive fun and community connection.
The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office, Atlantic County Special Services School District and the Northfield Police Department also attended, while the South Jersey Field of Dreams provided refreshments.
Connors said the idea came about after Berns struck up a conversation with police during a food truck event in Galloway.
“Jared, of course, he talks to everybody,” Connors said. “So, he went to talk to the police. He’s always saying, ‘Hey, do you know somebody who wants to ride? They can ride a couple of hours a week with me.’ Nothing ever comes of it.”
But this time was different.
The officer connected them with the right people, and Berns’ mother followed up, which led Officer Jacqueline Magazzu of the Galloway Township Police Department to build on the idea.
“I saw it more as an opportunity to build a stronger, more inclusive connection with individuals who have special needs because we often don’t have events specifically for those people,” Magazzu said. “I didn’t want them to miss out on things that we can do for them.”
After she put the flyer out, Magazzu said agencies started reaching out, eager to get involved.
“They saw it was going to be something pretty special,” she said.
That response helped shape the event further and gave families and caregivers not only a chance to connect with each other but also with valuable community resources.
For participants, Connors said the event was “something new and something different” that everyone could take part in — and there was no shortage of smiles.
“It was awesome. It was so rewarding,” Connors said, recalling a young mother who rode with her daughter on the back of her bike in a child seat.
Overall, it left some hoping for more.
“I think this was just the beginning. I’d like to keep finding new ways to engage with all of our community, whether it be more rides or different kinds of events. I want to continue to keep showing up for our community. That’s what I enjoy doing,” Magazzu said. “The event reminded everybody why we as police officers wear the badge — it’s to serve everybody in our community with compassion, respect and heart.”
Connors said she’s already looking forward to next year — and she’s not the only one. She noted other police departments have expressed interest in hosting their own Pedal with the Police events.
“Everybody wants to do it now,” Connors said. “They don’t even want to wait and build it up — they want to do it now. It was incredible. It was smiles from the guardians, the grandparents, the participants, the volunteers, the police. It was smiling all around.”
Photos courtesy of Mary Connors
Madison Russ is an award-winning journalist, copy editor and adjunct professor of communication based in Atlantic County. An Ocean City native, Madison is passionate about telling stories that matter to locals, often spotlighting nonprofits and exploring the area’s vibrant arts scene.
