|
Hot on the Trail
Sunday Mail, December 8, 2002
By Selina Steele
A NEW Queensland police squad has set its sights on rogue cycle couriers
who create mayhem in public places.
Officers based in the Brisbane central business district are using trail
bikes to patrol alleyways, bikeways and even stairwells to keep a closer
eye on the couriers, who are a source of irritation to motorists and pedestrians.
The move is in response to complaints about cyclists failing to observe road
rules and obstructing pedestrians.
The trail bikes are also being used to help police respond quickly in heavy
traffic and to patrol areas inaccessible to other vehicles, including bikeways
and parklands.
Inspector John Bull said the trail bikes had added an edge to the Brisbane
City District bike squad, which already has six pushbikes. He said the motorcycles
also gave the squad greater flexibility.
"With the trail bikes we can cover wider territory and respond more quickly
to incidents - and they're great in the traffic," he said.
Insp Bull confirmed that cycle couriers had been a recent target for the
squad.
"We respond to anything from armed hold-ups through to a missing child. Having
said that, we have had a problem with bike couriers and we are paying them
particular attention."
The squad of pushbikes and trail bikes also patrols South Brisbane, Paddington,
Fortitude Valley and New Farm. The officers' patch includes the Goodwill
Bridge, Roma St Parkland, King George Square and the City Botanic Gardens.
Insp Bull said as well as improving officers' access around the inner city,
the bikes gave officers "a great way of interacting with the public".
"People will stop and have a chat and that's all a part of community policing,"
he said. "Not only do we have greater mobility but we also have more visibility
on the bikes."
As of last month, police officers had racked up 6500km on their bikes this
year. Insp Bull said the bikes were an important step in making public areas
safer for the general public.
"There have been some incidents on our bikeways and one of our aims is to
make sure the bikeways are safe," Insp Bull said.
"We don't want a repeat of incidents like a couple of years ago where a cyclist
was attacked and almost died."
In February 2000, cyclist Peter Cribb was attacked by a group of people as
he rode along the bikeway near the Victoria Bridge, 100m from the city centre.
Mr Cribb was beaten and then kicked into the Brisbane River, where he nearly
drowned.
|
|
