Police Community Support Officers in one area of Rotherham will be taking to two wheels to fight local crime thanks to the local Area Assembly Area. At 10 am tomorrow (Friday, September 28), six mountain bikes will be presented to the Rotherham North Safer Neighbourhood Team base at Hampstead Green, Kimberworth Park, by members of the Rotherham North Area Assembly.
The Area Assembly has used money from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund to mobilise the Police Community Support Officers so they can better cover the Wingfield, Keppel and Rotherham West areas. It is hoped that the bikes will help increase response times to incidents by being faster than officers on foot and will be better able to access built-up areas, particularly those that have a high incidence of crime.
Also included in the package is two head-cams. Evidence from these cameras can be used in court as prosecution evidence.
Two Police Community Support Officers will also be trained as cycling instructors so that in the future the team can run cycling proficiency and maintenance courses for local young people.