How cops on cycles are making Chennai a safer, better city

The Chennai police has recently implemented a time-tested method of building a rapport with the community — cycling. Going back to the good old ways of patrolling has helped the Chennai police go beyond simple law enforcement and become actual guardians of the city streets.

According to Live Chennai, 88 teams patrol the city at night. While cars and motorbikes help them reach the crime scene quickly, criminals tend to run away when they hear the sirens of patrol vehicles, and chasing them through thin alleys on these vehicles is often very difficult.

Cycling has started to prove more practical in helping the police protect the city. It also helps build trust between police and citizens. "This concept takes us closer to the public," V Balakrishnan, deputy commissioner of Mylapore told The Times of India.

Earlier in July, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalithaa, had provided police stations with 250 new bicycles and 100 motorcycles. With every police station equipped with two cycles, the Chennai police is on the road to defining good policing for years to come.

Do you have an interesting story to share? Please write to us at [email protected]. To stay updated with more positive news, please connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.