Copenhagen police expand their fleet with e-scooters

While in other cities law enforcement is thinking of ways to curb the two-wheelers, here they’re falling in love with them

E-scooters were first hailed and welcomed as the future of flexible and clean urban mobility, especially in the wake of the COVID pandemic. Then they started being frowned upon as a curse in many cities due to the problems they cause with traffic, parking and incidents. But in one city, the Danish capital of Copenhagen, it is the police force itself that has decided to adopt the nimble two-wheelers as part of their official fleet.

More specifically, the news refers to the neighbourhood police units of the western suburbs of Høje Gladsaxe and Ishøj, which have expanded their mobility options with the addition of e-scooters. As they say, if you can’t beat them, then join them.

Scooters get you close to the action

The police force already has cars, bicycles and sturdy footwear at their disposal and those things won’t disappear. Rather, the adoption of the e-scooters is a way to provide more options and chances to react in ways that a car can’t provide.

Plus, it’s also about creating a certain image.

"Police on scooters elicit more smiles and pleasant comments than the bicycle, and the officers feel that they get closer to the citizens than in a patrol car," says inspector Allan Nyring from Copenhagen Vestegns Police.

The aim of the law enforcement is to present a reputation of being accessible and approachable to citizens. Cars create a certain feeling of power projection and a barrier.

The scooters don't have blue flashing lights or emergency horns - just batteries, brakes and lights. They have a top speed of 20 kilometres per hour and a range of 30 kilometres.