IPMBA News

Pedal power as bike squad grows

By Grant Taylor - The West Australian on March 21, 2016, 12:35 am

Photo: Police Minister and deputy Premier Liza Harvey and WA Premier Colin Barnett announce Northbridge will have more police bicycle patrols in the future. Picture: Simon Santi

Perth

A total of 36 officers will join the newly expanded bike squad, conducting two-wheeled patrols around the city’s car-cluttered streets, laneways and parks from next month.

The unit will operate day and night, especially at busy weekends, and would also be available to assist at special events in other areas of Perth as required.

Police Minister Liza Harvey said the expansion of pedestrian only areas such as Elisabeth Quay and the Northbridge Link precinct made bikes a logical choice for police who needed to be nimble and able to respond quickly to incidents.

“The big advantage they will have is to be able to get in and out of the laneways and in and around parks to police the anti-social behaviour that can occur from time to time,” she said.

Bikes have been used by police for several years, but only on an ad-hoc basis and by small numbers of officers.

Ms Harvey also praised the work of police to reduce crime in Northbridge, with assaults down 36 per cent since 2008.

But Shadow Police Minister Michelle Roberts questioned why police were committing more resources into the city centre if crime was declining.

She said other hotspots such as Armadale and Mandurah were crying out for more police, but were being overlooked.

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