ACPO Position

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Dear Mr Smith

Thank you for your email.

First can I say that ACPO is not a designated body under the Freedom of Information Act. There is no formal complaints procedure but however happy to assist if possible.

I sought assistance with your enquiry from ACC Shannon who is the lead on Police Driver Training matters.

Please see below the answer/s to your enquiry.

The ACPO/ACPO Police Driver Training Programme 2009 has been developed to meet the needs of the Police service throughout the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. This programme has been designed to help forces develop effective driving courses based upon the National Occupational Standards and ACPO/ACPOS policies. The programme provides guidance to forces on the common national minimum standards for police driving course but it is expected that some forces may well decide to widen the scope of their training to meet local requirements.

The three recognised standards of Police driving are basic, standard and advanced and have been reviewed and refined to ensure they meet the needs of modern policing.

The ‘basic’ course is the first level of police driving and the aim is to ensure that the officer possesses the skills required to drive vehicles used by the police safely and competently. ‘Basic’ drivers are not trained to take advantage of statutory legal exemptions and must obey speed limits and conform to all traffic signals and signs.

The ‘standard’ response driving course will train police drivers to a recognised higher standard and to respond safely to those incidents that require the officer to make use of legal exemptions afforded by Section 87 Road Traffic Act 1984, and may use the vehicles emergency warning equipment appropriately.

The ‘advanced’ course is designed for those officers who will be required to drive high performance vehicles operationally and will have completed a police ‘standard’ driving course.

Answers to your specific questions are as follows.

1. Modular training for Police Officers in respect of blue light training.

The Police Driver Training Programme is delivered on a modular basis. Students must have successfully completed the ‘standard’ driving course prior to the emergency response driving element which includes training in the use of the vehicles emergency warning equipment (blue lights and sirens). No timetable for the delivery of these courses are included in the manual. It is recognised that with the principle of a ratio of 3 students to 1 trainer the majority of students will take 3 weeks to attain competence in all elements of the ‘standard’ course.

2. Does ACPO support the idea that Special Constables should be allowed to use blue lights and ancilary equipment provided they have had sufficient training?

The selection of officers to attend specific driving courses courses is a matter for individual forces. Those officers selected will need to successfully complete a standard course as a minimum to be authorised in the use of emergency warning equipment for emergency response driving. Forces may apply their own policy on the use of emergency warning equipment by special constables. This may include the use of blue lights to protect the scene of an incident when the vehicle is stationary or to stop vehicles from behind, again this is a decision for each Force to make.

3. Is ACPO currently conducting any training about modular training for blue light and ancilary equipment use?

Training in the use of emergency warning equipment (blue lights and sirens) is modular and included in the emergency response driving unit of the standard driving course.

Regards

ACPO

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