Wheels rolling for Northland police on new e-bike patrols

They're off! From left, Whangārei's Constable Molly Mephan and Sergeant James Calvert are looking forward to patrolling the district on e-bikes. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Northland police have more power in their crime-fighting toolbox with the recent launch of e-bike patrols.

The move is an expansion of a nationwide trial started in February and will see officers in Whangārei and Kerikeri patrol central city locations on their new wheels until January.

Greater public engagement and combating road safety issues - such as distracted drivers using cellphones and people not wearing seatbelts - have prompted police use of e-bikes, Northland road policing head Senior Sergeant Steve Dickson said.

"We will have increased visibility and community engagement as an officer on a bike is far more approachable than in a car. The bikes are a great way for the public to gain further trust in us."

Dickson warned distracted drivers can expect a tap on their vehicle window, as the e-bikes are easily manoeuvred through traffic.

In Whangārei two e-bikes manned by trained officers are patrolling the CBD and will expand into other suburbs, as the e-bikes have a range up to 50km. There are also two e-bikes based in the Far North.

The six officers selected for the Northland trial were excited to get on the seat and try out the new patrolling tool.

Whangārei Sergeant James Calvert said he and constable Molly Mephan were feeling good about their e-bike debuts.

"There's very little we can't do on these - they get us into places like the cycle paths. It will be very hard to go back to pushbikes."

Mephan said being able to get into hard-to-access places like cycle paths will mean police have better opportunities to prevent or intervene in crimes such as women having their handbags stolen while out walking.

Dickson said success as measured by anecdotal public feedback, and the number of completed interventions and interactions by officers could see more people in the force trained to use e-bikes for policing.

The officers receive safety training and are prevented from participating in high-speed pursuits of vehicles on the bikes - which have no flashing lights, cameras, or sirens.

Instead, each e-bike officer is equipped with sunglasses, gloves, shoes, cycle shorts, a fluoro vest and a helmet.

Acting superintendent Gini Welch, national road policing manager, said the success of the initial trial in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin justified a second trial involving 10 districts - including Northland.

"The first trial showed how officers on e-bikes were more easily able to identify and engage with drivers who were seen texting and/or not wearing a seatbelt," Welch said.

"Another positive aspect of the trial was that police could move with relative freedom across the roading network and beyond, and engage more closely with drivers, cyclists, scooter riders and pedestrians."

The first wave of participating officers on e-bikes said they felt more approachable to members of the public, Welch said.

"Once this next phase of the trial has concluded, an evaluation will take place and Police will then decide whether to permanently include e-bikes to our deployment capability."