On Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:07:39 +0100, Mark
<
[email protected]> wrote:
>On Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:54:48 +0100, Tom Crispin
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>On Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:18:07 +0100, Mark
>><[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>>>If cycling is a normal everyday activity, why can't a community
>>>>support officer use an ordinary bike to get around? Does it have to
>>>>be a specially equipped? Do they need special training?
>>>
>>>Why should the Police have to ride BSOs? They'll never work properly
>>>and get chucked in a skip after a few months with all the rest. I
>>>would hazard a guess that they would have to undergo special training
>>>in today's H&S obsessed world.
>>
>>BSOs - It was never my suggestion that police officers or support
>>officers be asked to ride a **** bike. My point is that if the
>>officers purely want the bike to get from A to B, the bike does not
>>need to be specially equipped or the officer specially trained.
>>
>>If, on the other hand, the bike is being used to chase and catch
>>criminals over a variety of terrains it does need to be specially
>>equipped and the officers specially trained.
>
>There's no reason to assume that the bikes would never be used for
>pursuit. It was deemed necessary for them to be suitable for off road
>use so they need to be better than postie's bike*.
>
>(* Here's where someone says that postie's bikes are the best ;-)
OK - but on occassion panda cars might be used for a pursuit.
But read this line in the original article:
"They [the PCSOs] wanted them so they wouldn't have to get around by
bus."
That implies road cycling.
>>After all, the police use a variety of cars, and police officers
>>driving those cars have a variety of training. I am not sure what
>>percentage of police are trained for high speed pursuit - but I bet
>>it's a minority. It could easily be the same with police cyclists -
>>only a few need special training on specially equipped bikes, the rest
>>can go about their day to day business of taking statements and
>>cycling their beat on a normal* bike without specialist training.
>>
>>*normal does not imply a BSO.
>
>IIRC it was suggested that 10 bikes could be bought for the same money
>from Halfords. That would make them BSOs IMHO. £700 for a mountain
>bike does not seem excessive to me.
Agreed, £700 (excl VAT) at trade price will buy a good quality bike
costing at least twice as much retail. But the councillors' beef was
the cost of £1,350 per bike, equipment and training.
>>>>OK - city police, chasing handbag grabbers, shoplifters or drug
>>>>dealers down and up(?) stairs, along allyways and through shopping
>>>>centres may need to be properly equipped and trained. But a village
>>>>bobby going to investigate Mrs Miggins' missing knickers from her
>>>>washing line, with two giggling boys hiding in the ditch opposite!?
>>>
>>>So they don't have handbag grabbers, shoplifters or drug dealers (or
>>>even stairs) in Glos? This is the 21st Century, not an episode of
>>>Camberwick Green.
>>
>>OK - I was being poetic - but I am sure you understand the distinction
>>between using a bike for pursuit and using a bike to get about.
>
>To me that paragraph seemed to imply that there was no serious crime
>in the area, the worst being stolen washing. To quote from the
>orginal article on the web site:
>
>"The bikes have specialist kit on them and as they are used every day
>they must therefore be robust and able to cross rough and varied
>terrains.
>"We will continue to make good use of these bikes as they are
>particularly effective when targeting issues such as anti-social
>behaviour."
That doesn't really tie up with the purpose the PCSOs say they will
put their bikes to.
Now, if the PCSOs are having their job changed to specialist cycling
PCSOs that's a completely different matter, and the Police should be
funding in full the purchase of the bikes, training and equipment.
However, if they just want a bike to replace the odd bus journey then
it seems entirely reasonable that they use reasonable quality bikes
for use on the road, without specialist equipment and training.
>From this quote I would assume the bikes will be used to chase "yoofs"
>across rough ground after they have committed a crime.
>
>I still believe that buying cheap bikes is false economy. The Police
>are only intending to buy two anyway. I really don't know what the
>fuss is about.
There is little argument over the cost of the bikes. Its the training
and specialist equipment that the fuss seems to be about.
Have you heard the siren on a police bike? They sound like demented
bees. Once when I was training some nine year olds on Blackheath some
passing coppers showed off their sirens - my trainees fell about
laughing!
