Driving Permits

Your Ref:
Our Ref:F-2009-02730

07 October, 2009

Dear Mr. Smith,

Thank you for your request for Information, received at this office on
07 October, 2009, in which you requested details of the following:

Various requests regarding driving permits offered by Humberside Police

Your request will now be considered and you will receive a response
within the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Act,
subject to the information not being exempt or containing a reference to
a third party. In some circumstances Humberside Police may be unable to
achieve this deadline. If this is likely you will be informed and given
a revised time-scale at the earliest opportunity.

There may be a fee payable for the retrieval, collation and provision of
the information you request. If this is the case you will be informed
and the 20 working day timescale will be suspended until we receive
payment from you. If you chose not to make a payment then your request
will remain unanswered.

Some requests may also require either full or partial transference to
another public authority in order to answer your query in the fullest
possible way. Again, you will be informed if this is the case.

We anticipate being able to provide you with the information that you
have requested on or before 04 November, 2009.

Should you need to discuss this further please do not hesitate to
contact the unit.

Yours sincerely,

Paul Waller
Information Compliance Officer
+44 (1482) 317096
Humberside Police
Corporate Development Branch
Information Compliance Unit
Police Headquarters
Priory Road
Kingston Upon Hull
HU5 5SF
Fax:+44 (1482) 317090

show quoted sections

Your Ref:
Our Ref:F-2009-02730

05 November, 2009

Dear Mr. Smith,

Thank you for your request for information dated 07 October, 2009
concerning Various requests regarding driving permits offered by
Humberside Police.

This is to inform you that all information relating to your request has
been collated and is attached.

1) What levels of driving permits are offered?

Basic
Standard
Advanced

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

Basic permits officers to drive a range of vehicles within speed
limits. The permit begins with a car authority
and then further assessments to attain permits for other
vehicles (Vans etc)

Standard permits officers to respond and if appropriately
trained, initially pursue vehicles that fail to stop. This authority
limits the performance of the vehicle used to a lower performance
car or van.

Advanced permits officers as above to respond, initially pursue
and TPAC (box and contain a vehicle) when appropriately trained.
Advanced drivers are authorised to respond in high performance
vehicles.

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?,

A Basic course is a one day course for cars, usually two
students at a time delivered at the DSA standard

A Standard Course is usually three weeks duration for two
students at a time delivered to Roadcraft

An Advanced Course (Car or Bike) is four weeks duration usually
two students at a time delivered to Roadcraft

Students are assessed against performance criteria mapped to
National Occupational Standards as laid down by ACPO in National Driving
manuals. Police Officer who undertake Standard and Advanced
driver training are afforded certain legal exemptions in law i.e. to
exceed speed limits, treat red traffic lights as give way and
contravene keep left arrows.

If training is required for vans or specific vehicles (Not group
D or C) this is undertaken usually two students for a day to familiarise
themselves with the vehicle characteristics.

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),

No permits are offered on a modular basis - all courses are from
start to finish.

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

Special Constabulary Officers are authorised to drive marked and
unmarked vehicles within speed limits.

The driving authority authorises officers (providing they have
been assessed) to drive vehicles used by Humberside Police such as;-

General Patrol vehicle i.e. Proton
Ford Transit Van
Personnel Carrier
4 x 4 Vehicles (Freelander, Nissan X trail)
Prison Bus, both C1 and D1 licence classification
Media Vehicle
Tow trailers
6) If any modular courses are offered, are the available to Special
Constables?,

See Q4

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),

Special Constabulary staff do not undertake Standard and Advanced
courses and have no exemptions in law.

Should any further information be requested regarding this topic, a
separate request will need to be submitted.

If I can be of any further assistance on this matter please do not
hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

Paul Waller
Information Compliance Officer
+44 (1482) 317096
Humberside Police
Corporate Development Branch
Information Compliance Unit
Police Headquarters
Priory Road
Kingston Upon Hull
HU5 5SF
Fax:+44 (1482) 317090

Humberside Police - Freedom of Information Complaints Review Procedure

Why Have A Complaints Process?

Humberside Police is committed to delivering an open and transparent
service whenever possible and it is our intention to commit to the
principles of openness embodied in the Freedom of Information Act. We
will release information to the greatest extent possible, consistent
with the public interest, however we may withhold information if we
consider its release would cause significant harm.

If information within a document is withheld, it will be clearly marked
to show where information has been removed and the legal exemption we
have used. If we decline to supply all or part of any information you
have asked for we will notify you in writing giving our reasons based
upon legal exemptions contained within the Freedom of Information Act.

If you are not satisfied about the way in which your Freedom of
Information request has been handled you have the right to appeal. This
information has been designed to help you to understand how to complain
to Humberside Police. Using this process will not affect your right to
complain directly to the Information Commissioner if you feel we have
not complied with our obligations under the Freedom of Information Act.

Who Can Complain?

Anyone who has made a Freedom of Information request in writing to the
Force can complain. If you have requested information and you are not
satisfied with the way we have dealt with it, you can use the complaints
process to have it looked at again. If someone who requested information
would like to complain but cannot do so themselves, you can complain on
their behalf but it will help us if you make it clear that you are doing
so.

What Can I Complain About?

If you are not satisfied with the way we have handled your request, with
the fee we have charged, or with the reasons we have given for refusing
to provide information, you have the right to appeal. You can complain
about the range, amount and format of information we have sent following
a request. You can also complain about the way a request was handled,
for example, the time it took to respond.

How Do I Complain?

To deal with your complaint as quickly as possible, it will help if you
can give us as much information as you can about the original request
made and the reason for your complaint. Please put your complaint in
writing and address it to:

FOI Appeals
Humberside Police Information Compliance Unit
Police Headquarters
Priory Road
Hull HU5 5SF

What Happens To My Complaint?

Once we have enough details to identify the request, we will begin the
review. The Head of The Information Compliance Unit will normally review
your complaint. In the more complex cases a review panel consisting of a
number of senior personnel from the Force will re-examine your
complaint. We aim to complete the review process within three months of
receiving your complaint. Upon completion we will send you the findings.

How Will I Be Notified?

Where we have not followed procedures or have failed to provide
acceptable quality of service, we will apologise and explain what we
will do to ensure this doesn't happen again. If our original decision to
withhold information is over-turned on appeal we will send you the
additional information immediately. If we believe that our original
response was correct we will let you know, and inform you of your
options (see below).

What If I'm Still Not Satisfied?

If we have been unable to resolve your complaint and you are not
satisfied you can approach the office of the Information Commissioner,
who may investigate the matter on your behalf. This option is open to
you at all times, but we will endeavour to address your complaint
initially, as this may lead to a speedier resolution. It is the
Information Commissioner who decides whether to investigate or not. We
will co-operate fully with the Information Commissioner.

If you have any further questions about the complaints process, please
contact the Information Compliance Unit on 01482 578313 or alternatively
you can write to:
Head of Information Compliance Unit
Humberside Police Headquarters
Priory Road
Hull HU5 5SF
Email: [email address]

Requests for a review by the Information Commissioner should be made in
writing directly to:
The Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 01625 545 700
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

show quoted sections