Hanoi Police To Patrol City On Bikes To Build "Friendly" Image

In order to create a friendlier public image, Hanoi will soon have some of its police officers patrol the city on bicycles.

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Under the plan, meant to coincide with what the capital calls the “Year of order and civilization,” state-owned company Thong Nhat will design specialized bikes, made just for cops:

"This type of bike is based on the prototype of a normal bike, but has both improved and additional features based on the work requirements of police officers. Offices will have badges with the words "Public Order Police of Hanoi," a police spokesperson told VnExpress.

The scheme, scheduled to be rolled out in 12 wards across the capital, also seeks to make the city more accessible to police as bicycles will allow officers to patrol even the smallest alleyways.

If successful, the bicycle police will be implemented across the city.

However, some VnExpress readers took issue with the approach.

“How can they chase after criminals? This is an impractical plan,” said one commenter.

“Friendliness is shown in the way they interact with the public and solve problems, not just by riding a bicycle,” wrote another.

One thing’s for sure – at slower speeds, police will now be able to hear the public profanities that are reportedly undermining the city’s reputation as the “capital with thousands of years of civilization.”

[Photos via Zing]