Cycle patrols in Tendring equipped with defibrillators for community safety
Tendring police benefit from life-saving equipment funded by local partnership
Tendring's cycle patrol officers are now equipped with pocket defibrillators, enhancing their ability to respond to emergencies thanks to funding from the Tendring Community Safety Partnership.
Police patrol bikes are now supplied with bleed control kits and St John Ambulance pocket defibrillators, bringing essential life-saving equipment directly into the heart of local communities.
Sergeant Scott Lewis from the Tendring Neighbourhood Policing Team said, "Cycle patrol officers are often among the first to arrive at incidents in our town centres, seafronts, and open spaces. All officers are trained in first aid, but our cycle patrol officers now have additional capabilities to provide immediate assistance to people suffering serious injuries or medical emergencies."
He added that the addition of defibrillators and bleed kits enhances their ability to make a real difference during those vital first few minutes of an incident.
"We hope we never have to use them, but if we do, we are ready," Lewis concluded.
Councillor Peter Kotz, Tendring District Council’s Cabinet Member for Assets and Community Safety and Chairman of the Tendring Community Safety Partnership, expressed the council's commitment to funding such initiatives.
"We’re pleased to fund this portable defibrillator for Tendring’s neighbourhood policing officers to carry on cycle patrols in our communities. While we hope it never has to be used, this equipment could make a vital difference in a medical emergency, where every second counts," Kotz said.
He emphasized the importance of working collaboratively with local police to improve residents' quality of life, with this investment supporting public safety and providing potentially life-saving equipment.