New e-bikes for St Helens Neighbourhood Policing Team

Police officers in St Helens unveiled a new fleet of e-bikes today (Monday, 28 October 2024), which will help them increase their presence in crime and anti-social behaviour hotspots.

The e-bikes, funded by St Helens Borough Council, will enhance officers’ operational capabilities, extend their patrol areas and increase visibility in locations that traditional police vehicles can't easily access.

Inspector Josh Griffiths of the St Helens Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “We're seeing criminals increasingly using bikes and e-bikes in their activities, so we must have the tools to match and outpace them. The new bikes will help officers with disrupting the activity of organised crime groups.

“And importantly, these bikes help us deliver more visible and accessible neighbourhood policing for our communities, making it easier for residents to approach and talk to officers on patrol.

“We've already seen how e-bikes can transform how officers interact with the public. They help us maintain a reassuring presence in our communities while ensuring we can respond quickly when needed. It’s the perfect balance of speed, accessibility and visibility that modern neighbourhood policing demands.

“We're lucky in the St Helens area to have a variety of green open spaces, so we’ll make the most of the new bikes to patrol those areas effectively.

“Just as we've historically invested in high-performance vehicles to tackle car theft, these electric bikes demonstrate our commitment to staying one step ahead of criminals. It's about having the right tools to keep our communities safe, and we’re pleased to have the support of St Helens Borough Council in funding the new e-bikes to achieve this."

Councillor Trisha Long, St Helens Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Supporting Neighbourhoods, said: "We are pleased to be able support our local Neighbourhood Policing Team with funding from the Safer St Helens Executive. With the adoption of these eco-friendly e-bikes, the team will be more mobile and accessible to the community within our parks and open spaces, fostering stronger relationships with residents and contributing to a safer, more connected borough."

Officers have received training to ensure they can maximise the use of e-bikes in a wide variety of operational activities. The public can expect to see officers patrolling on the e-bikes not only in the towns and villages across the St Helens policing area but also in the many parks, woodland and other open spaces in the borough.