UK Emergency Vehicles ukemergency.co.uk
This is Chris Davala, a Maryland State Trooper from America. Riding a British police bike in the UK, he is riding over a seesaw at speed as part of a display of police cycle patrol training.
A group of 17 police officers and paramedics pose for a photograph during a IPMBA (International Police Mountain Bike Association) training course. Representatives from West Mercia Police, Dorset Ambulance, North Yorks. Police and Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance prepare for life as a cycling emergency responder.
One of ten identical bikes issued to PCSOs in North Yorkshire. The frames are liveried and they are fitted with the usual white light to the front and red to the rear.
This silver mountain bike is a Giant Terrago. It is one of four bikes used by Kensington and Chelsea Parks Police in London. The only emergency warning equipment fitted is a white light and an air horn. The bottle can be pressurised using a normal cycle tyre pump. The red plate then folds down and operates the very loud horn (see inset).
This is a Hampshire Police Smith & Wesson cycle stopped at the side of the road.
This photo shows the Hampshire police cycle patrol uniform. The Eastleigh officer is wearing reflective body armour over a white polo shirt with combat trousers.
A very different patrol bike is this electrically-assisted Eco-bike Tornado. It is fitted with wire spoked wheels and is all-silver. It is used to patrol Hyde Park in London. It has ‘police’ wording on the frame and panniers.
This is a British Transport Police cycling police officer. He uses his bike to patrol the track-side paths around Livingston, near Edinburgh.
A closer look at the cycle. Notice the subtle ‘police’ wording and lack of emergency warning equipment. To get from the police station to the patrol area, the bike and officer go by train – of course!
A Thames Valley police officer on cycle patrol. Notice the microphone appearing from the helmet, and the spiral cable to the handle bar. This cable is linked to a push-to-talk switch so communication can be made whilst cycling without any loss of control.
Another cycling police officer practices advanced cycle control skills on a training course.
An example of an experimental police cycle livery.
Cycle patrol officers are taught how to quickly block a road for crowd control using their cycles.
Two officers watch a demonstration ride by an American police officer and IPMBA instructor trainer.
A Northumbria policeman leans over as he turns his police cycle at speed.
This cycle cop flies through the air after hitting a ramp at speed.
A police officer on ‘cycle patrol’ practices sliding the back of his bike around to point in the opposite direction.
This is a City of London Police cycle, used in the ‘square mile’. It has a rack-top black bag with police logos, as well as ‘police’ writing on the specialist mountain bike frame. The rear has a small matrix of flashing lights, and the front has a similar arrangement but with a handy notepad on top!
An officer wearing a standard police helmet walks his police bike through the streets. It has panniers for paperwork etc. but no lights or siren as it is normally used for community policing work and not emergency responses.
A police officer riding a Smith & Wesson specially-designed mountain bike.
A sergeant practices slow-speed maneuvers on his white mountain bike. Notice the ‘police’ wording on the front and the blue lights.
To increase the presence of the cycle when it is not being ridden, this one has a high-visibility cover on the rear, complete with police logos. This is useful when the bike is being used to block a street for example.
It is unusual to see a police inspector on bike patrol. This is North Yorkshire’s Nigel Tottie, a qualified emergency cyclists’ trainer.
West Yorkshire police started using mountain bikes in Leeds at the end of 2004. Here is an example of their chosen equipment. It is a white S&W mountain bike and has blue lights and a siren on the handlebar, and a liveried rack-top bag. The West York. riders are in the background.
This is an example of a North Wales police mountain bike. It is liveried in reflective battenburg markings, just as you would find on police motor vehicles. Notice the cycle-specific uniform of the officer.
This is Nottingham Police’s Meadows bike patrol team. These photos were taken when the unit was first set up in April 1999. The bikes are fitted with two large white lights to the front. Also notice the uniforms are a mix of cycle-specific and standard clothing: the helmets have miniature boom microphones fitted, but the footwear remains standard leather shoes.
Another of Nottingham’s cycle units, heading out on patrol.
In this recreation of a scene from the 1960s, a police officer poses with his cycle. In the background are police cars 17 BPU and 111 HAJ (a Ford Zepher 6).
A pair of Met Police mountain bikes.
Here are a group of emergency service cyclists outside one of the most famous addresses in the country; 10 Downing Street.