Driver training under scrutiny at PFEW Conference

130 police officers have sought legal advice in the past year after finding themselves being investigated over their driving.

Sgt Tim Rogers, of West Midlands Police, the PFEW Roads Policing lead (pictured), called for a change in the law to reflect the training that police drivers undertake – currently they are treated no differently to ordinary members of the public.   

Chief Constable Anthony Bangham, NPCC lead on roads policing, said guidance from the Department of Public Prosecutions should treat police drivers separately to other emergency services.

He said: “We’re trying to balance risk but also our overarching aim to protect the public.

“The thing that bothers me the most is that there is no DPP guidance that separates out policing from other emergency services. We need somewhere for there to be explicit reference to say the police have to do things differently from other emergency services.”

However, he added that police drivers needed to have more training, saying: “I compare training for roads policing to something like firearms and I think we are found wanting. We don’t refresh enough, we don’t train enough. Our training must keep up and it must be sufficient and it should be much more regular. Officers need to know what they are allowed to do.”

Barrister Mark Aldred said officers still need more protection from the law as there was a “disconnect” between legislation and what officers are taught.

He said: “There’s something not right in the system and more protection is required still.

“There is a disconnect between the training and the law. As soon as you start engaging in risk that falls under dangerous driving and that can’t be right.”