In the Lime of duty: Auckland police lark about on e-scooter

New Zealand police are known for their sense of humour and being visible in our communities.

From taking social pictures with drunk patrons to always blowing on the pie, police officers are usually up for a laugh while keeping our streets safe.

Now a group of officers have taken it one step further after one was seen riding a Lime scooter in downtown Auckland during a late night shift last week.

In footage posted to social media, a group of officers can be seen talking to two men outside the Mobil and KFC in Quay St before one officer is seen taking a joy ride around the carpark.

Even police are getting in on the action! Photo / Snapchat

Despite the original poster saying "great to see our police are hard at work", many Kiwis came to the defence of the officers - saying they do an incredible job in our communities and showing "they're human" makes them more approachable to members of the public.

"More to police work than making arrests. Good on them I say. This is good public relations," one person said.

Another wrote: "An example of NZ police. So chill they ride scooters around and hang out with people in front of McDonald's. That's a good way to explain good old NZ attitude."

Others joked that the Lime scooters are the future of police transport.

While Lime scooters have proven popular, they are causing a hefty amount of injuries in their short time on New Zealand shores.

Nearly 150 ACC claims for injuries caused by electric scooters have been lodged in the month since Lime E Scooters launched in Auckland and Christchurch.

The injury list included more than four claims for brain injuries or concussions, 24 for broken bones and 49 for lacerations or punctures, according to the latest ACC data of claims for no-fault accident compensation.

The bulk of injuries occurred in Auckland with 85 injuries, while 50 were recorded in Christchurch and six across the rest of the country.

The data was for claims made between October 14 - when Lime e-scooters began hiring out electric scooters - and November 5.