Police
saddle up
to fight crime
POLICE
in Castle Point have turned to Smith & Wesson to break the cycle
of crime and disorder – and expect the move to be sure-fire
success.
They have taken possession of four new Smith & Wesson mountain
bikes, funded by the Castle Point Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership
(CDRP), to meet an increase in the number of full-time officers posted
to the district.
The bikes will enable police to step up patrols in the community,
allowing officers to cover greater distances while on their ‘beat’
and to get to incidents quicker.
The rugged bikes, designed for community policing, also mean officers
can carry more equipment when on patrol, giving them the flexibility
to deal more promptly with issues and enquiries.
Two of the bikes will be based at Benfleet and two at Canvey, bringing
the number in use across the district to eight. They will be available
to
nominated officers trained in cycling and road craft to the Bike Ability
standard.
District Commander Chief Insp Paul Eveleigh said: “We first
introduced bicycle patrols last year and they had an immediate impact,
so we are grateful to the CDRP for funding these additional bikes.
“These patrols not only provide a reassuring presence on the
street but
also have a deterrent effect on wouldbe offenders. They know we can
get to an incident quicker with the added benefit of being able to
approach quietly, using back-roads and alleyways.” |
