Force bans village bobby from bike because he hasn't passed his cycling proficiency

A community support officer has been told not to ride his bike on police patrols, despite cycling since he was a boy without incident.

Superiors have ordered Nick Barker out of the saddle until he passes a training course.

He must now travel between the Kent hamlets of Halstead, Knockholt and Badgers Mount by bus because of a shortage of police cars and patrol on foot.

A friend of the married PCSO, aged in his 20s, yesterday said: 'It is ridiculous.
Anyone can see Nick is capable of riding a bike.

What good is it to force him to walk around the place.

"And if he's in Knockholt and he hears about a live incident in Badgers Mount he might have to wait God knows how long for a bus.

"They aren't all that frequent around here.

"The decision to prevent Nick from cycling absolutely sums up police bureaucracy."

The ban on PCSO Barker, who joined the force last year, emerged at a meeting when locals asked why they had not seen him much recently.

One said: 'He's an asset and should be given the tools to do the job or they might as well forget the whole thing.'

The decision to strip Mr Barker of his cycle emerged after locals at a meeting of Halstead parish council meeting claimed they had not seen him around for a while.

But the PCSO had told a previous meeting of the same council about how he had been riding bikes since he was a childhood and was happy to cycle around the villages.

He is continuing patrols on foot while awaiting taking the police bike test.

His boss, Inspector Adrian Payne, defended the decision to prevent the PCSO from cycling, insisting: "If officers use a mountain bike for operational duties they are required to complete a training course.

"The purpose of the course is to ensure that they have all the relevant skills and knowledge to make the best use of the bike within their role." 

He added that PCSOs were not allocated a police car each as it was not considered economically viable.

He said: "Neighbourhood officers are encouraged to walk, ride bikes, and use public transport in their duties to maximise their opportunities to meet members of the community they police.

"Across West Kent there is a fleet of vehicles to meet the needs of patrol officers, neighbourhood officers, crime groups and other departments that have a frequent or occasional need to use a car as part of their work."