Police officers in Wiltshire are to use electric scooters in a bid to cut emissions.
With unprecedented demand on the force’s budget, the switch from police cars to e-scooters is expected to save the taxpayer £3.7 million in 2023/2024.
The green initiative will see officers, including PCSOs, respond to approximately 75 percent of incidents on the two-wheeled rechargeable devices.
The rest of the time, officers will have to receive authorisation to take out a vehicle rather than an e-scooter – and they must have a genuine policing purpose.
They will still be able to use police vans to transport detainees to custody if they are unable to give them a ‘backie’ on their e-scooter, which will be fitted with blue lights and a siren-like horn.
It has been confirmed that the Roads Policing Unit, responsible for keeping the county’s roads safe, will no longer use BMWs to respond to incidents, including pursuits. The department will be supplied a range of Nissan Note e-POWERs and de-restricted electric bikes.
Armed response and the dog section will remain with regular vehicles, as will CID detectives and civilian investigators – to ensure they keep their hands clean and suits clean.
The scheme will be rolled out across Wiltshire, starting in Swindon, from July 2023.
John Pylon, head of sustainability at Wiltshire Police, said: “Removing so many vehicles from Wiltshire’s roads will only have a positive impact on the community.
“We may consider bringing cars back to local policing in the future – when electric vehicles are more affordable and petrol and diesel vehicles have been banned.”
E-scooters are illegal to use in Swindon and Wiltshire, but it’s understood the government will amend the law to include an exemption for police officers and staff.
It comes after a PCSO from neighbouring force Gloucestershire Constabulary apprehend an offender in a city centre whilst riding an e-scooter.
