Northumbria police scrap motorcycle unit

Chief Superintendent Neil Mackay defended the move, saying weather was not the only issue. He added: "We were concerned that motorcyclists on escort duties were more vulnerable than officers in cars."

I agree that it's questionable if they should be used as anything other than the 'spotters' until a chopper can be scrambled in a pursuit, but escort duties? The whole point of being an escort is you're supposed to be more expendable than the VIP you're protecting. If being by bike lets you spot the assassin 100M sooner and the VIP gets away okay, you've done your job. If you're in a car, you'll be as likely to get snarled up in traffic as the VIP's car. It's with good reason all motorcades have bike-based outriders...

[Ch00]

All sounds like some High ranking officer is looking for career evidence to me. "look at me I have fixed a problem that didnt need fixing"

Give it a few years then the next High ranking officer will go "we need bikes how can I get my next rank?"

In Met land we have hundreds of bikes and will need more for 2012. During the G8 stuff we used a lot of other forces riders to boost our numbers.

Ch00

Probably looking to be the next Chief Constable of North Wales. What better statistic to put on your CV than to say 'I was instrumental in reducing the injury figures to zero for the Motorcyle division'.. then the next one into Cumbria will be able to say "I was instrumental in establishing a successful motorcycle division".