Police on a northern German island of Lower Saxony have updated their mode of transport after a successful e-scooter pilot period. According to the force, the new two-wheel rides are serving as a useful icebreaker.

German police ride new electric scooters

After a year-long pilot period, police on the east Frisian island of Norderney are opting to use e-scooters as a regular method of transport. Because the island is just 20 kilometres long, the electric scooters make for an efficient and environmentally-friendly way to get around.

Speaking to the dpa, a spokesperson from Osnabrück police, which is responsible for the service on the northern German island, explained that the scooters acted as a bridge between residents, tourists and police. “You get into conversation much faster, the e-scooters are a real icebreaker,” said the spokesperson.

E-scooter police chase yet to happen on Norderney

There is one task, however, that the scooters are not up to: a police chase.

During the year-long pilot period, there were no police chases- which is just as well, because while the scooters can effectively weave in and out of cars, they can only reach speeds of 20 kilometres an hour.

Another hurdle is that the scooters aren’t much help if a patrol or call-out ends in an arrest, since there is no way to transport the person who has been detained back to the island police station. The spokesperson assured, however, that the police had taken this fact into consideration before they began the trial.

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