Review of tactical cycle deployments in Thames Valley Police, providing an evidence base for how they can be further used within public order policing.
| Lead institution | |
|---|---|
| Principal researcher(s) |
Dr Richard Hester
|
| Police region |
South East
|
| Level of research |
Professional/work based
|
| Project start date |
|
| Date due for completion |
|
Research context
While the use of bicycles for police patrols has been part of neighbourhood policing visibility for some time, the use of tactical cycles within a public order setting is a relatively new area of policing.
The College of Policing's Authorised Professional Practice (APP) on Public Order Public Safety provides guidance for how police forces in the United Kingdom should approach public order policing, but has no specific guidance for the use of tactical cycles within public order situations.
Thames Valley Police has developed an approach for training and deploying tactical cycle units into public order policing events. This research uses a case study approach and provides empirical data through observations and interviews.
The breadth and nature of these deployments is established, and the evidence base to support the wider use of tactical cycle deployments in public order policing in England and Wales is examined.
Research methodology
- Observations of training methods
- Interviews with force public order trainers and strategic leads
- Observations of operational deployment and debriefs with tactical cyclists