Thursday, 8th October 2009

Dear Mr Smith,

FOI Reference No: FOI-20092/111795

I write in connection with your request for information dated 7th October 2009 and listed below.

Your request for information has now been considered and the information asked for under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 is as follows:

I wanted to enquire about the driving permits offered by your Force to Police Officers. The questions I have are:

1) What levels of driving permits are offered?

The level of driving permits offered by West Yorkshire Police to Police officers is Basic, Standard Response and Advanced.

2) What do each of the driving permits allow the holder to do?

Basic Permit - Drive category B vehicles (up to 2000cc) for general transport purposes - does not permit use of statutory exemptions, lights and sirens,response or pursuit

Standard Response Permit - Drive Police Patrol Cars (up to 2000cc) on mobile patrol, respond to incidents utilising statutory exemptions and auxiliary equipment (lights and sirens), stop vehicles and conduct initial phase pursuit.

Advanced Permit - As standard response but covers use of higher performance vehicles (over 2000cc)

3) What training is required for each of the driving permits and how are the candidates assessed? How long in length are the courses for each of the respective driving permits?,

Basic Permit - Assessment only (1 hour) Candidates complete a highway code exam,

produce a valid driving licence and undertake an eyesight check before

being their driving is assessed/verified on road against Driving

Standards Agency standards.

Standard Response Permit - 3 weeks course - on road training in marked patrol cars supported by classroom inputs and examinations that develop knowledge,understanding and safe application of all elements; continually assessed by trainer/primary assessor and independently assessed prior to completion.

Advanced Permit - 4 week course - on road training in marked patrol cars supported by classroom inputs and examinations that develop knowledge, understanding and safe application of all elements; continually assessed by trainer/primary assessor and independently assessed prior to completion.

4) Are any of the driving permits offered by your Force, offered in a modular basis, (i.e. are they offered in modules of 1 week at a time until the course is complete etc),

None of the driving permits offered by West Yorkshire Police are offered on a modular basis.

5) Which of the permits are available to Special Constables?

Only the Basic permit is offered to Special Constables.

6) If any modular courses are offered, are the available to Special Constables?,

Non applicable

7) How many Special Constables in your Force have driving permits which allow them to respond (i.e. use blue lights, sirens and allowed the holder to utilise the relevant exemptions afforded to them in law with respect of speeding, going through red lights etc),

No Special Constables are offered such permits. As mentioned above the only permit offered to Special Constables is the Basic permit which does not allow the Permit holder to utilise the relevant exemptions.

I would appreciate any information that is available, in particular the information that relates to Special Constables.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

If you are not satisfied with how this request has been handled or with the information provided, please read the advice notice attached to this letter. If you do wish to take up your right of complaint, please remember to quote the reference number above in any future correspondence.

Yours sincerely

Janette Mitchell

Freedom of Information Project Officer

pp

Steven Harding

Head of Information Management

The West Yorkshire Police in complying with their statutory duty under sections 1 and 11 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to release the enclosed information will not breach the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. However, the rights of the copyright owner of the enclosed information will continue to be protected by law.  Applications for the copyright owner's written permission to reproduce any part of the attached information should be addressed to The Force Solicitor, West Yorkshire Police Headquarters, PO Box 9, Laburnum Road, Wakefield WF1 3QP.