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authority for the royal military police to use blue lights and sirens
john randall made this Freedom of Information request to Department for Transport
The request was successful.
From: john randall
16 August 2009
Dear Sir or Madam,
i have made numerous requests via ACPO and the MOD in relation to
the authorising body that allows the Royal Military Police (RMP)the
authority to utilise marked police cars with blue lights and sirens
on the public highways of mainland UK.
ACPO (FOI available on this site) inform me that the department of
transport are the authorising authority.
I am still awaiting a reply from the MOD.
If this is the case can you please advise me on what legal
authority has this been authorised?
The RMP are not a regonised Police Force nor do they have any
jurisdiction within mainland UK.
My concern is that this particular organisation is managed by
senior miltary officers who actually believe that they are Police
Officers when clearly they are primarily soldiers with absolutely
no authority to police, or purport to police mainland UK. Thank you
Yours faithfully,
John RANDALL
From: TTS ENQUIRIES
Department for Transport
26 August 2009
Dear Mr Randall
The fitment and use of blue warning beacons is regulated by the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 (RVLR). Sirens are covered by the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 (C&U).
Regulation 16 of the RVLR states that:
No vehicle, other than an emergency vehicle, shall be fitted with-
(a) a blue warning beacon or special warning lamp, or
(b) a device which resembles a blue warning beacon or a special warning lamp, whether the same is in working order or not
The definition of emergency vehicle in the RVLR includes vehicles used for police purposes.
Similarly Regulation 37 of C&U permits vehicles used for police purposes to be fitted with a siren or two-tone horn.
The Department does not issue authorisation for the use of blue warning beacons or sirens but anyone using them when they are not entitled to under the regulations is liable for prosecution.
The use of reflective blue markings on the sides of vehicles is currently prohibited by the RVLR. To address this a special order was issued to the RMP in April 2006, under section 44 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, giving permission to fit blue, yellow or white retro-reflective markings on the side and yellow or orange reflective markings to the rear of vehicles used by the RMP.
Yours sincerely
Jillian Smith
DfT - Transport Technology and Standards
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From: john randall
3 October 2009
Dear Sir or Madam,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of
Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Department for
Transport's handling of my FOI request 'authority for the royal
military police to use blue lights and sirens'.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is
available on the Internet at this address:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/au...
Yours faithfully,
john randall
From: TTS ENQUIRIES
Department for Transport
2 November 2009
Dear Mr Randall
Thank you for your request for an internal review of the Department for Transport's handling of your Freedom of Information Act request relating to the authority for the Royal Military Police to use blue lights and sirens.
Our original reply should have made it clear that the response to your enquiry was being handled as "business as usual" because the information you requested is already in the public domain. I am sorry that this was not made clear in the original reply to you.
As the enquiry was handled as a "business as usual" case we are not able to carry out a formal FoI internal review. If you do have concerns about the response you received we are able to consider them outside of the FoI arena. If you would like to raise specific concerns please email this address and we will endeavour to respond fully to your enquiry within 20 working days.
I hope that this helps.
Yours sincerely
Jillian Smith
DfT - Transport Technology and Standards
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