Meet the latest crime fighting tool for New Zealand police: the e-bike.

A four-week long trial of e-bikes will begin in Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland from February 12 as police patrols move up a gear around city streets.

Sergeant Hamish Knight said officers would patrol the four cities on e-bikes, just as they would on foot, or in patrol cars.

"These are just another tool in the toolbox for how police do our job."

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The officers will receive safety training, but will not be able to engage in high speed pursuits and the bikes are not equipped with cameras or flashing lights. The officers will focus on road safety issues like distracted drivers (such as those using cellphones) and people not wearing seatbelt.

Hamish McNeilly/Stuff Dunedin police try out the new e-bikes to be used for patrolling the central city.

The NZ Transport Agency provided $70,000 so each officer involved would have an e-bike, sunglasses, gloves, shoes, cycle shorts, a fluoro vest and a helmet.

Hilly cities, such as Dunedin and Wellington, presented no barriers for the bikes and officers would not "have to bust a gut getting up the hill".

"Times have changed, people are getting on their bikes a lot more now, we just want to keep up with that," Knight said.

Acting national road policing manager Inspector Gini Welch said the idea of police on bikes was not a new concept.

"However our focus is much broader now, especially in the area of road policing prevention. And having e-bikes mean our officers also have a little extra power when they need it."

Hamish McNeilly/Stuff Police are trialling new e-bikes in four Kiwi cities.

Police will trial the e-bikes in over the next four weeks to assess the potential benefits they could bring to policing and public safety in central city locations. The trial would then be evaluated before potentially being rolled out further.

"Having officers on e-bikes gives increased visibility of police in our communities, making us more accessible to you and contributing to people in our communities feeling safe and being safe," Welch said.

"Another appeal of the bikes is they will help us deter crime such as vehicle theft, burglary, and disorder."