Cycling and the Long Arm of The Law

The Christchurch police have decided that getting 'on yer bike' (the police on their bikes that is) is a better way for them to deal with the cities notorious crime problem.

Obviously they are just trying to catch up with style and culture trends. But unfortunately they failed when they made the cycle police wear high visibility vests. Surely seeing they aren't really going to fight any crime, but just fighting the perception of crime they could just be the boys in blue.

Christchurch police are getting on their bikes to fight crime.

Officers will patrol the central city on new bicycles as part of a police campaign to tackle perceptions that the city centre is unsafe.

Central area commander Inspector Derek Erasmus said the four new bicycles, equipment and uniforms cost about $7500.

"In terms of visibility, this is great bang for our buck," he said.

"We have some perception issues we deal with in this very safe city of ours.

"They [bicycle patrols] are here to respond quickly when we have to deal with built-up traffic and want to approach scenes quickly and quietly."

Hopefully the thin blue line will cross over to the thin white lines that are Christchurch's so called bike lanes. And when the police realise that Christchurch may be a safe city crime wise, it is pretty poor when it comes to cycle safety and will help bring in some decent bike lanes, so that people don't have to wear ridiculous high-vis clothing.

Article and video at:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch/3008445/Wheelie-quick-response-to-crime-in-Christchurch#share