Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones has funded 4 power-assisted bicycles to tackle anti-social behaviour in Sandown, Shanklin, Lake and Ventnor.
The Commissioner provided funding of £19,000 to buy electric bikes for the South Wight Neighbourhood Policing Team, helping them to be more visible in the community and respond to reports of anti-social behaviour (ASB) quicker.
The bikes are part of Operation Spider, which tackles ASB and associated crime such as drug-related activity and serious violence. The operation involves a number of agencies, including health and education partners, to tackle the symptoms of ASB and identify the root causes. This enables additional support to be provided to young people involved in particular, to help divert them away from this type of activity.
The £19,000 provided by the Commissioner has come from her ASB Taskforce fund which she launched in 2021 to ensure local organisations work together to tackle anti-social behaviour.
Police Sergeant Benjamin Sharland, from the South Wight Neighbourhood Policing Team, said:
“The bikes have all the benefits of a foot or traditional cycle patrol but they also increase our patrols times, the distance we can cover, and allow my officers to preserve energy to deal with anything they come across on patrol.
“In the first week alone the team increased the patrol areas covered by at least three times and they were able to remain out of the station on patrol for greater amounts of time as well as getting to harder to reach locations.
“The bikes are a game changer and a clear investment in Neighbourhood Policing.
Article continues below this advertisement “We are extremely thankful to PCC Donna Jones for the continued support for the work we are doing to target anti-social behaviour and the linked drug and alcohol related crime.”
Donna Jones, Police and Crime Commissioner, has said:
“Anti-social behaviour has a detrimental effect on people’s lives which is why it is one of the key priorities in my Police and Crime Plan.
“Working with key partners, I am committed to driving down ASB, and these e-bikes are a fantastic addition to the work already being carried out by officers on the Isle of Wight.
“I have also pledged to ensure Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary will have 600 more police officers on the streets by the end of March 2023. I know that the public want improved police visibility, so I am really pleased to hear that these bikes are helping the neighbourhood team cover larger patrol areas.”
More bs from Jones. How many people have these virtue signallers arrested? Won’t make the slightest bit of difference to anti social behaviour.
So people like you moan that there are not police on the beat. They add police on the beat and you still moan. Idiot.
You are the idiot for thinking that these wannabe cops, who are just volunteers, are actually real cops, and for thinking that they will make a blind bit of difference to anti social behaviour.
1 X PCSO, 2 x PC’s + 1 x Sergeant.
= no chance catching a cold, let alone nutters…we need real police from the island not Donna kebabs wokesters..
Welcome move to scatter the kids and drug dealers on the cliff path.
Think they been watching too much american TV… The Bay….lol…
They’re gonna get Pamela Anderson in now that she’s a B rate celeb. You watch the profile of ‘The Bay’ improve then!
The islands Rapid Response Cycle Team .. well done PCC Could have given them Beryl bikes would have been cheaper .. unbelievable !! We look forward to the crime rates falling overnight now ..
4 bikes for £19,000. Maybe it’s us who should be on the look out.
That’s why they wanted more council tax money from everyone.
Blue flashing lights and cycle clips cost money you know
Could have bought 4 electric bikes on shopping channel Ideal world for less than
£3,500
Hope these bikes have a GPS tracker in them, i am sure if one of these wanna be cops steps off the bike to intervene a chav will be right behind him to nick it.