Police get BMX to 'break down barriers' with youths

34 comments
By BikeRadar | Tuesday, Apr 27, 2010 11.30am

Police on mountain bikes are a common sight in many cities around the world, but Leicestershire Constabulary reckon they've found an even better tool for urban crime fighting – the BMX.

While it may not afford officers the same dignity as a larger wheeled bike, the force reckon their new Haro F3 will "break down barriers" when police meet young people on the streets and in parks.

PCSO Vince Preston, from Oadby and Wigston local policing unit, said: “It's a size the children can get on, and it helps build a rapport with them. Kids are more open to speaking to you than if you're on a larger bike or on foot patrol."

The marked-up blue and white machine will also be used for school safety sessions – and officers reckon it'll come in handy for catching criminals too. PCSO Preston said his experience using mountain bikes showed how valuable they were for tracking suspects, and he reckons that in the majority of cases a BMX is quicker and easier to manoeuvre.

“In a car, they can hear you a mile off, but on a bike you're virtually silent," he said. "This area has lots of alleyways which I know and can use, so often I can get to an incident at least as quickly as colleagues in a car. And while you're on patrol, you can communicate with members of the public and you can see and smell more than being in a car.”

Haro Bikes' UK distributors have supplied the bike free of charge. Brand manager Adam Garner said: “Moore Large and Co are delighted to be involved in this fantastic project. We're hoping it will help gain respect between the police and Leicestershire’s youth. I'm looking forward to supporting Leicestershire police over the coming months and watching the project make a positive influence on the local community."

It's unclear how the F3's stunt pegs and 360-degree gyro will aid crime fighting; maybe officers hope to stun offenders into submission with a succession of grinds and barspins, or maybe they'll use the pegs to give colleagues 'backies' when chasing more than one suspect?

PCSO vince preston at blaby road skate park in wigston: pcso vince preston at blaby road skate park in wigston

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User Comments

There are 34 comments on this post

Showing 1 - 30 of 34 comments

  • A Taser in a bottle cage would do better than gyro to "break down barriers" :-)

  • Yet another gymic being used by management within the police force to make a vain 'innovative' attempt to 'connect' with their local communities. Any kid above the age of 10 will surely just take the mick anyway? Sorry to be negative, but this really does sound like one of the stories Bikeradar does for April 1st!

    If the PCSO thinks he can sneak up on people on a bike then fair enough. But the bright yellow bodyarmour is a dead give-away. If you go so far as giving him a bike like that, then why not the clothes as well? And heck, why not give him full police powers and let him do the job properly too. Dare I say it, plain clothes policing! None of this 'the street looks like it's being policed if somebody walks down it in a bright yellow top' malarkey.

  • Did he honestly say he can smell crime?!

  • Utterly pointless. About as useful as equipping armed response teams with water pistols...

  • What a load of rubbish! This is public service over spending BS. Here I am struggling to afford a new bike whilst the police are being given free BMXs. Whatever next Police in Oadby and Wigston have been given drugs so they can go and get high with the local drug takers to 'break down the barriers' LOL..!!

    Riding after criminals on BMXs is only going to make them themselves smell more - not smell more crime.

  • Next week the highways agency get tt bikes to cruise the 6m and pull porsche divers

  • Smell crime ? Yep, skunk has a horrible smell i.m.o.

  • Is this a late April Fools or what?! A bobby on a BMX? He looks a right tit!

  • Well done Oadby and Wigston policing unit you have made the news. Police on MTBs makes some sense as they have gears and large wheels but a BMX is not really a practical bike to be sat on all day. If he rides that thing around all day he's gonna be very sore.

    Next will be police on skate wheeled scooters or Heelys to 'reach out and connect with' pre-teens.

  • It's all very well being more manouverable but unless he's pretty fit then he'll be flummoxed by the first hill!

  • "This area has lots of alleyways which I know and can use"

    Can I use alleyways when I want to take a shortcut as well then?

    Pathetic idea.

  • I would prefer it if they patrolled with hungry Alsatians with personality disorders it would prove more effective. They(the ASBO cretins) should respect the police not be best friends with them and when they break the law they should be in fear of a big stick round the head or a bite on the arse ( off the dog ofc)

  • He is a PCSO.. Not the same as a policeman 3/4 of the pay with an 1/8 the stress + pension and a free BMX.

    Bet they get the p#/@~ taken out of them by the REAL cops.

    I hope i dont see them on the pavement and running red lights like my local PCSO. BMX bandit.

  • at least take the pegs off please. maybe a yeti 4x would have been more useful?

  • April first was, like, 4 weeks ago duuude

  • It's like BMX bandits but in real life - loving the retro 80s flashback...

  • It would be a good idea if the officer was able to double whip or pull a 3 but I bet they cant lol. Plus why does the BMX look like it was bought at Halfords...I'm sorry but a battered and bruised brakeless BMX is the way forward, not a Halfords special with 4 stunt pegs and reflectors.

    That bike has got as much street cred as David Cameron body popping to 'White Lines".

  • erm the haro F3 is a great little BMX . not a halfords special at all . I can sort of see the sense in it . Though i think they should just higher Martyn Hawes instead.

  • this is not serious, isn't it? the police use tax payer's cash to stock up bmx? and they expect to chase people with that? i am no expert, but i really dont think bmx is design for speed pursuit. what are they going to do? expect them to turn into Danny Mac? riding bmx does not mean they can get into the hood, no? unless the officers are willing to spend hours hang out in the bike park.

  • Armymankin, the bikes are being supplied free of charge. None of you tax pounds has gone into this publicity stunt

    "Haro Bikes' UK distributors have supplied the bike free of charge."

  • Good news for all the crooks. Now it’s easier for them to get away. I’ll bet there is a reason why police forces all over the world use mountain bikes instead.

  • as a community police officer with the taff trail on my patch i to have several lovely bikes.

    what i dont have is the clothing to wear so i can make use of them.

    no money aparently,but i have used bikes on night shifts in the past and covered a massive area in silence and needless to say thoroughly enoyed myself .

  • Have any of you posting actually ridden BMX? They can be ridden VERY fast an dif they are chasing people on foot they are the perfect option compared to a large wheeled bike. Plus they will cost much less than a large wheeler.

  • Nice to see they kept the bell on!?!

  • You just know the kids in the background are taking the p**s.

  • Kid with the red rims in the second picture - is he flipping the bird or smoking a spliff?

  • Why have they not issued with them with skins and a grinder? Pillocks.

  • I love BMX. It was a massive part of my youth and I like that about 20 years on, they're still cool.

    Other cool things are skinny jeans and tattoos and piercings. None of which I want to see on my policemen. Not now nor in my youth. There is nothing more tragic that an old git trying to look cool.

    You get respect by commanding respect. Not by stooping. Reaching out is right, but not by compromising your own integrity. You don't see the army patrolling the street of Basra without weaponry or army fatigues.

    Stop it, rozzers - it's a stupid idea.

  • why has it got stunt nuts? please he looks a right tit

  • Pathetic! UNTS doing stunts, What's up cant the police force find any way better to wast my money.

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