Welsh police buy fleet of tuk-tuks to fight crime and keep the public safe

A police force has unveiled a fleet of tuk-tuks to help patrol parks, walkways and public areas.

Gwent Police in Wales have revealed that the four small vehicles will be used ‘day and night’ by officers in Newport and Abergavenny.

The vehicles are funded by the Safer Streets program, a Home Office grant fund that supports forces in tackling neighborhood crime, antisocial behavior and violence against women and girls.

Most motorized rickshaws have a top speed of about 55 km/h (34 mph).

Chief Inspector Damian Sowrey said: “They were featured on our Behind the Badge day so that local residents could see them up close and hear more about how they will be used.

‘The reactions were mostly positive.

“Parents told officers they would feel safer if they knew there was support for young people at night and women who could think of an occasion where the tuk-tuk would have been a welcome sight.”

The decision has sparked controversy online with locals wondering how effective tuk-tuks will be in fighting crime.

“If this isn’t a joke, it’s an absolute disgrace,” one critic said online.

Others wondered how much the fleet cost.

While police have not openly shared how much they cost, an unrelated tuk-tuk seller is currently advertising them online from £10,995.

In a report commissioned by the Newport Council in conjunction with Gwent Police, the tuk-tuks were described as a ‘novelty’ that will be used to ‘provide highly visible reassurance patrols to help residents and visitors feel safer around the city’ .