Rollerblading cops foiled by grass

Putting British parks police on rollerblades to give them the advantage of speed has come to an end, now that criminals have learned to run away on grass.

Just four officers were trained and given helmets and padding to use the rollerblades, and for six years, they patrolled the paths through London's park system, The Telegraph reported.

"It just didn't work. The moment people realized they were being chased they would switch to a soft surface," said Supt. Derek Pollock, of London's Royal Parks operational command unit.

The squad was based on successful schemes in Florida, Paris and the Netherlands, but Pollock said few police officers wanted the job.

"Not an awful lot of officers were interested because it hurts when you fall over," he said.

The former rollerblading officers have returned to simple bicycle patrols, the report said.

© Copyright 2006 by United Press International