Law Enforcement get electric pedal power

Law Enforcement officers will now patrol the Atlantic seaboard on electric bicycles funded by the ward allocation budget.

Ward 54 councillor Nicola Jowell says the two electric bicycles will be operational from the Sea Point promenade to Camps Bay.

“Safety and security is one of the major focuses of this city and it’s important that ward allocation budgets are used to enhance the work done by the directorate in this regard,” said Ms Jowell.

“The intention is to increase visibility of law enforcement on the promenade without compromising their ability to quickly respond to complaints and to be able to increase visibility by covering the whole Promenade quite quickly,” she said.

Ms Jowell adds that law enforcement officers are there to enforce by-laws on a daily basis, and that the electric bikes will help them do so.

“Their visibility is important in the deterrent for crime and this additional presence and mobility will be fundamental in this. But policing and crime prevention remains the core function of the South African Police services and law enforcement are there to support them but cannot replace the service they are required to provide,” Ms Jowell said.

“I do want to commend our law enforcement officers who have been involved in a number of excellent arrests in the area of suspects involved in serious crime that are handed over to SAPS,” she said.

She added that the budget for the electric bicycles had been planned for more than a year ago.

“I am grateful to see them finally in use and deployed for their purpose on the promenade. Increasing visibility and law enforcement deployment numbers has been a priority for me since the start and this is firmly on the agenda within the department.”