Here are two bicycle police officers in Amsterdam on my recent visit. I went over after taking the shot to ask them a couple of questions. They were extremely sweet and friendly - quite a contrast to the Danish bike cop I tried to engage in a conversation a while back.
I asked them how many bicycle coppers there were in the city and they said that there are always 12 on the streets. I asked them if they ever wore helmets and they just laughed. I was struck by the difference between these very human and accessible enforcement officers and the guerilla warrior look in Copenhagen.
I was curious to hear if Amsterdam still had beat cops - police patrolling on foot - and they said that they did. Isn't that lovely? Beat cops walking about the city? Isn't that a fine little detail in the life of a liveable city?
9 thinking out louds:
Actually both my previous city, Minneapolis and my current city, San Francisco have bike cops as well. Their attitudes and reputations seem to vary more by individual than city. A quick image search will pull up lots of pics for either city (as I don't have any personal shots to share).
My lovely city, Milwaukee, has bike cops and I occasionally see beat cops walking around in groups of three as well.
I'm surprised that Amsterdam only has 12 bike cops out at a time. I'm pretty sure my much less bike-friendly city has more pairs than that out. I see more on a typical bar night in just two neighborhoods!
The London bicycle police have helmets, but then "officers in the force have been known to ride down steps into Underground stations in pursuit of miscreants" on their fancy mountain bikes.
(Which match the police cars with their blue/fluorescent-yellow colour scheme: http://www.ukemergency.co.uk/police/dsc02944.jpg and blue lights)
I had a similar experience in Amsterdam. They were so approachable, friendly and helpful. At the same time, you could tell that no nonsense would happen on their beat! Really reassuring.
Here in Dublin, there are an increasing number of cops on bicycle beat. It's great to see because it really makes motorists pay heed to cyclists, at least while they're around anyway.
A few years back I got a ticket in Amsterdam for running a red light on my bike. I was living and working there for a year. It's understood that bikes sort of do what they want in A'dam, and after checking both ways, a glob of us cyclists went through an intersection, up a little bridge, and down the other side--where a half-dozen bike cops were waiting. I was pointed at and, while I could have kept going, I stopped and took my ticket. I think it was about 90 euro, but my employer covered it. I deserved it.
About a year ago I asked two cops a thing or two about helmets, the need thereof and such.
1) There's the trained bike cop team, who are specialized in pursuits & arrests (like how to stop a car with a bike), call 'm heavy-duty, highly skilled coppers. They are fully equipped and mandated to wear helmets.
2) The run-of-the-mill neighborhood patrollers, either on foot or by bike. No mandate for a helmet.
Apparently this division organizes many training events for foreign police departments visiting NL and they go on study tours to see how other countries/cities deal with side of policing.
Montreal also have bike cops (with helmets). I spoke to or heard about half a dozen so far and, it might be a prerequesite, but they were all very friendly. I was also very surprised when I saw this summer a ticket giver from "Stationnement Montréal" on his bike!!!
Here ar two pictures of our officers on two wheels.
http://www.montrealexpress.ca/media/photos/unis/photo_1051111_resize.jpg
http://media.metronews.topscms.com/images/c0/48/526c02074a9eb95d20b6b3c5c026.jpeg
Brussels City has Cops on Bikes, and their official line is that it makes these police more approachable than the cops in cars.
About Helmets, a few years back, a German Bike Policeman told me about the police bike training they give. He said Rule nr 1: remove your helmet as soon as you get off the bike because someone could use it to strangle you.
Randy at ECF
Sounds like if you work for the police and are required to wear a helmet you get the cooler jobs. I want to pull over a car on my bike!
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