Beat bobbies turn to pedal power

POLICE in Warrington are using pedal power in the fight against crime – thanks to the arrival of 12 new mountain bikes.
Warrington Central Neighbourhood Policing Unit will benefit from the bikes and new safety equipment.
Officers from the unit have spent weeks pounding the beat on foot, but now they will be firmly in the saddle when out on patrols.
Inspector Andy Ross said: “The bikes are a great tool for neighbourhood officers as they enable them to cover a lot of ground. It means they can keep a close eye on larger parts of the community in short spaces of time.
“The bikes help us access areas which are out of bounds to a car and enable us to approach areas in a much quieter, more discreet way – we can be alongside people before they have any idea we are around.
“These are great benefits when it comes to catching offenders or monitoring a problem in a particular area.”
The mountain bikes will be used by officers, PCSOs and special constables and bear police livery and police markings.
Officers using the bikes will be equipped with helmets and high-visibility jackets, which were funded by the Safer Warrington Partnership.
PCSO Kath Harkin said: “The bikes help improve our visibility and accessibility in the local area, which is vital when you are trying to build up close links with the local community.
“Residents want to see us out and about and they want to be able to stop and talk to us about issues in their area. If an officer is out and about on a bike then it makes it much easier to do that.
“We can cover a large area on the bikes but are still very accessible to anyone who wants to stop and talk to us – it is much easier to wave down an officer on a bike than one driving a patrol car.
“The bikes are a really effective tool in neighbourhood policing and are invaluable in our work with local communities.”