The free bike registration system is a new solution to bike theft on campus.

The ULM police department developed this system after students and student organizations asked for a way to help reduce bike theft.

Since the registration started last week, a couple dozen students have already been registered, and there have already been multiple positive reactions from posts on Facebook and Twitter.

Students can go to the UPD office during any time of the day or night and register since there is no time limit or business hours.

Registration only takes about 30 seconds, and students will get a sticker to place on the back of their bike after registering.

The registration progress requires a name, date of birth, address, phone number, bike description and serial number from the bike.

If students do not want to bring their bike up to the station, they are free to stop an officer who is patrolling around campus and the officer can get the student’s information at that time.

With the bike registration sticker, all police stations in the area can refer to it if it is found and return the bike to ULM PD.

Jada January, a freshman pre-pharmacy major, was in favor of the new bike registration program.

“I like the idea because bike thefts are getting out of hand, and the wire lock doesn’t always protect them from theft,” January said. 

Most students are receiving this as a positive and helpful new system that seems promising to combat bike crime on campus.

Though, there are some students who don’t think the system is going to make a huge impact, especially with those students who don’t ride bikes.

Joseph Pratt, a freshman pre-pharmacy major, was one of those students who doesn’t think the system will be used.

“I don’t usually see a lot of people riding their bikes around campus, so I feel this would just be shrugged off by the majority of the student body,” Pratt said.

Although it doesn’t seem like it at first, there are perks for the new system.

One perk is the overall safety of the students now that bike crime will likely be a rare occasion in the months to come.

Jeremy Kent, a Lieutenant-A with the ULM PD said the registration system may help deter theft.

“If a suspect was going to come onto campus and see a bike rack full of registered bikes, logically there would be more deterrent for the criminal to see that it is registered with the police department rather than not at all,” Kent said. 

The new registration system is looking to bring more safety and peace of mind to all of the students on campus.

Bike riders can now lock up their bikes at night without worry, and hopefully students will not have to worry about bike thieves being on campus as often.