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North Woolwich Bike Team Strikes Again!

Submitted by Charlie Irvine, PCI #752/EMSCI #143
Metropolitan Police Force (UK)

On Tuesday, November 2, 2004, at about 7:45pm, three officers from the KN (North Woolwich) bike team were on patrol in the Britannia Village area of East London. The team members were Sergeant Charlie Irvine, Police Constable Paul Delivett and Police Constable Nathan Shickle.

As they turned the corner, they saw a green Ford Escort containing six passengers, all of them in their mid-teens. Too late, the driver saw the police. Because of the surprise element of the bikes, he and the front seat passenger did not have time to get rid of the joints they were holding. PC Shickle knocked on the driver's window and asked him to get out of the vehicle. PC Delivett began cycling towards the rear of the vehicle to cover anyone who decided to get out of the car and start running. The driver refused to get out of the car; instead, he started the engine and reversed at high speed. PC Delivett leapt off of his bike just before the car ran over it, completely destroying it.

Meanwhile Sergeant Irvine and PC Shickle attempted to stop the vehicle, drawing their ASPs and smashing the driver's window. The car accelerated towards them, forcing them to jump out of the way. It then made off, being driven without lights, down footpaths, and through a "no entry" sign. The description was put out and shortly after, the abandoned vehicle was found. The six suspects were soon stopped and arrested. It was later found out that the car was on false plates and had been stolen in a burglary two months earlier.

Fortunately, the officers sustained no injuries as they once again demonstrated the practicality and effectiveness of the cycle patrol.

Charlie can be reached at cfb920@aol.com.

© 2005 IPMBA. This article appeared in the Winter 2005 issue of IPMBA News.