Policemen on bicycles

[Cubist]

The H&S risk assessment to provide transport for Community Cops and PCSOs that we use requires a basic on road competence. The Force policy regarding the use of pedal cycles requires a basic level of fitness which can be tested by a competent supervisor. We use bikeability as, no matter how scornful you are of it, it does set a benchmark to place an adult safely onto the highway. The Force Policy also demands a basic daily safety check and a regular service and maintenance schedule. None of that mentions MTB skills, none of it involves Chasing people or making arrests as it is simply a transport policy. Agreed that some people want to carve a niche and make it into something really sexy so that they can have access to hugely expensive traini g courses, and equipment, but all that it utterly overblown if you are simply asking a PCSO or NPT Officer to get around their wards a bit quicker and be more visible within their communities.

 

[kedab]

To be fair, I'm 6'3", a 242lb amateur power filter with a 53" chest who cycles about 300 miles a week with a resting pulse of 50. I'm in good shape. Nevertheless, wearing a further 2 stones of stab vest, PR24, custodian lid, airwaves, boots etc there is no way in hell I'll catch a 16 year old in trackie and trainers. Just ain't gonna happen. I dunno what, if any, fitness requirements there may be for PCSOS. quote]

a stab vest weights 2 stones? wow - i once asked a copper if i could try one on, it was in the back of his van, he said no...i was disappointed, he was a bit grumpy. i do agree that trying to chase down some scally while wearing a 'proper' policeman's full kit probably isn't going to happen but, that's what Tasers are for, right? i want a go on one of them

 

[kedab]

^^ i made a mess of that post, sorry

 

[Drago]

Your forces policy is incompatible with prevailing H&S legislation, as are several other forces I won't name. As was my own when our cycling development was at your level 6 or 7 years ago.

I'd be interested to know how your mob determine which supervisors are competent to determine fitness? I have to use a good old fashioned doctor. What health checks are your staff subjected to?

Agreed re your PCSOs only needing to wobble safely around the beat but there's more to it than that. Every PCSO has basic UDT training. But for your cycling PCSOs what UDT trading do they have? How do you train them to survive if attacked while on or with the bicycle? What techniques do you teach then for approaching a suspicious subject? These guys have no pegs, most forces don't give them sprays, so these are really important skills.

Do your officers cycle in stab vests and kit? What account does Bikeability make of the raised centre of gravity and the slow-speed stability issues this raises?

It had nothing to do with Gucci kit or niches. After all, of you want Gucci kit you need only look at your own Firearms teams. If you want niches turn to your sergeants who've not walked a beat in 20 years but are entrusted to manage far more experienced and capable officers.

It's about professionalism - looking smart and efficient to the public. Making best use of a cheap yet versatile resource.

It's about complying withe the law - it won't go away because your bobbies have sat the "cycling proficiency for the 21st century"

It's about having safe and appropriate kit for the job - what's your farces minimum bike specification, of the even have one.

But above all it's about knowing that my stud events and staff go out and about and have the tools and knowledge to be as effective and safe as possibly.

From what little you've disclosed your organisation is not properly meetings its lawful obligations (forget your local policy, that's not law and was probably now written anyway by someone qualified to make those judgements) and is selling its staff short by not doing everything it reasonably can to ensure their welfare while on cycle patrol.

 

[Drago]

^^ i made a mess of that post, sorry

A stab fear big enough to fit me, specially ordered from Mehler, weighs 9lbs on its own. Bates or Higkander boots are another couple of pounds. Im authorised to carry the PR24NX as I have an elbow full of titanium and can't gat the swing to make the 21" straight peg effective. Those 3 items alone nudge a stone.

Bung in street clothing, belt and kit, custodian helmet, paperwork, airwaves etc and genuinely the full load comes in around 2 stone. Several of us larger chaps had our day kilt weighed by our uniform advisory panel a couple of years ago cos they were looking into making it a bit more user friendly.

Typically, nothing has changed!

 

[Drago]

Please forgive my dreadful typing too chum!

 

[kedab]

ah, i see now...he could have let me try it on though, i wasn't going anywhere - he'd cuffed me to the seat in front

 

[Drago]

And then there's diet and hydration, something else we lawfully have to cover to operate this work equipment safely.
I could go on and on (the basic patrol course is a 16hr national syllabus) but won't.

On a professional level, if you want me to email you any info then drop me a pm with your work email and I'd be more than happy to help a colleague. Most of it is good stuff for a regular cyclist to know anyway and of nothing else as I cyclist I'm sure you'd enjoy the read.

 

[Cubist]

As a result of your posts I will make a few enquiries. I haven't gone into all the detail of the current H&Sniceties as I haven't been involved in deploying officers on bikes for a year or two. If they have changed or need to be brought up to day then this exchange will have served a useful purpose.

I still reserve the right to point out that your continued use of the word farce boils my piss big style.

 

[Cubist]

Posts crossed during typing.

Where I appreciate your offer of help, I wouldn't want to waste any more of your time.

 

[Drago]

Ah, well my apologies for that. Wasn't intending to upset anyone. Certianly, down here in Westshire in the same month our lot are making a number of PCSOs redundant I've heard from a friend in our Workshops that they've had to spend £7000 fixing a fault on our Chiefs official car, a Lexus. Seems pretty farcical to me. I pray for the love of all that's Holy that your guvnors aren't so daft.

Offer of help is genuine. You need to know owt, would be my pleasure.

 

[Cubist]

Which just goe to show how much you know. PCSOs are not funded from force budget, they are funded by local authorities.

Your on-costs as a constable trainer would cover the service bills of a Lexus several times over.

 

[Octet]

I saw a police cyclist today! I didn't manage to get the make of the bike though.
He was wearing a white helmet and summer uniform which consisted of a black T-Shirt (no stab vest), black trousers and from what I could see he only had a radio and handcuffs on his belt.

 

[Drago]

Which just goe to show how much you know. PCSOs are not funded from force budget, they are funded by local authorities.

Your on-costs as a constable trainer would cover the service bills of a Lexus several times over.

Wrong yet again compadre. The local authority only part fund. The Government stopped their funds last year and the organisation have had to pick up that part of the tab, do for over a year a portion of this cost had come out of the organisations reserves. This year the LA have announced they are themselves reducing their contribution and the organisation are letting some PCSOs go as a result. Seperate to this, sone parish councils, and even a group of busibesses on one particular insmdustrial estate fund their own. So as it happens I know rather a lot.

My units activities make a profit for the force, which shows how much you know. Even if we didn't, who's going to pay for the cars for these trained drivers? If you must have a pop at someone for knowing nothing, at least make sure you are right before doing so.

 

[Cubist]

I wasn't having a pop, I was pointing out that, as you have conceded, PCSOs are not funded by the Force, and that their existence is dependant on LA funding. Without LA funding, the force will have to reconsider. A £7 k bill for the Chief's car is utterly irrelevant to the funding of PCSOs, and it is precisely this sort of tabloid headline nonsense, your continued use of inappropriate language and a couple of other tangible things about you that make me bristle.

Modern forces will always have a car fleet, and your Chief will always have a car. If you and others continue to make cycling an elitist activity, and expensive to train and equip officers to cycle, then in these days of austerity it will simply become a fond memory.