Driving Permits

Dear Mr Smith

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: RFI2146/1

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

Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (the Act). 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 West Mercia 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 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.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write
or telephone the Information Compliance Unit quoting the reference number
above.

Yours sincerely

Mrs SJ Cale

Information Compliance Assistant

Information Compliance Unit

Information Management & Technology Department

West Mercia Police

PO Box 55

Hindlip

Worcester

WR3 8SP

01905 331545 / 331565

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Dear Mr Smith

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: RFI 2146

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
on 7^th October 2009.  Please find below the response to your request:

Your request for information has now been considered and I am not obliged
to supply all the information you have requested.

Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires West Mercia
Police, when refusing to provide such information (because the information
is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which:   (a)
states that fact, (b) specifies the exemption in question and (c) states
(if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption applies.

The exemption applicable to the information is: Section 21. Information
Reasonably Accessible by Other Means

This is an Absolute, class based exemption.

The majority of the information that you require is available by logging
onto the West Mercia Police website [1]www.westmercia.police.uk and
following the links for: A-Z Search - P - Policies - Driver Authorisation
Policy and Driver authorisation Procedure.

Also, for your information, The Association of Chief Police Officers
launched an updated police driver training manual in June 2009. The manual
provides police force driving schools with a framework allowing them to
develop a course based on the National Police Driving Standards. 
Information regarding this can be found by logging on to the following web
link:.

[2]http://www.acpos.police.uk/Documents/Pol...

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

Reply: Please see paragraphs 9 to 29 of the procedure on our internet site

1) What levels of driving permits are offered?

3) a. What training is required for each of the driving permits and how
are the candidates assessed?

b. How long in length are the courses for each of the respective
driving permits?

Reply: Please see the below table

All courses are complete courses

+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Permit | Duration | How assessed |
|----------------------------------+-----------------+-------------------|
|Basic authorisation |½ Day |Assessment by |
| | |trainer to National|
| | |ACPO guidelines |
|----------------------------------+-----------------+-------------------|
|Standard response:  non pursuit |3 weeks intensive|End of course |
| | |assessment by |
| | |trainer to National|
| | |ACPO guidelines |
|----------------------------------+-----------------+-------------------|
|Standard response:  initial |1 week intensive |End of course |
|pursuit phase | |assessment by |
| | |trainer to National|
| | |ACPO guidelines |
|----------------------------------+-----------------+-------------------|
|Advanced response:  non - pursuit|4 weeks intensive|End of course |
| | |assessment by |
| | |trainer to National|
| | |ACPO guidelines |
|----------------------------------+-----------------+-------------------|
|Response tactical  pursuit | |End of course |
| | |assessment by |
| | |trainer to National|
| | |ACPO guidelines |
|----------------------------------+-----------------+-------------------|
|Surveillance driving | |End of course |
| | |assessment by |
| | |trainer to National|
| | |ACPO guidelines |
|----------------------------------+-----------------+-------------------|
|Basic motorcycle/scooter |½ Day |End of course |
| | |assessment by |
| | |trainer to National|
| | |ACPO guidelines |
|----------------------------------+-----------------+-------------------|
|Standard response motorcycle |3 Weeks |End of course |
| | |assessment by |
| | |trainer to National|
| | |ACPO guidelines |
|----------------------------------+-----------------+-------------------|
|Advanced response motorcycles |3 Weeks |End of course |
| | |assessment by |
| | |trainer to National|
| | |ACPO guidelines |
|----------------------------------+-----------------+-------------------|
|Personnel carriers | |End of course |
| | |assessment by |
| | |trainer to National|
| | |ACPO guidelines |
|----------------------------------+-----------------+-------------------|
|Patrol vans | |End of course |
| | |assessment by |
| | |trainer to National|
| | |ACPO guidelines |
|----------------------------------+-----------------+-------------------|
|Personnel carriers - non | |End of course |
|operational        | |assessment by |
|          | |trainer to National|
| | |ACPO guidelines |
|----------------------------------+-----------------+-------------------|
|Patrol vans - non-operational | |End of course |
| | |assessment by |
| | |trainer to National|
| | |ACPO guidelines |
|----------------------------------+-----------------+-------------------|
|Psu vans | |End of course |
| | |assessment by |
| | |trainer to National|
| | |ACPO guidelines |
|----------------------------------+-----------------+-------------------|
|Four wheel drive: on road | |End of course |
| | |assessment by |
| | |trainer to National|
| | |ACPO guidelines |
|----------------------------------+-----------------+-------------------|
|Four wheel drive: off-road | |End of course |
| | |assessment by |
| | |trainer to National|
| | |ACPO guidelines |
|----------------------------------+-----------------+-------------------|
|Passenger carrying vehicles (pcv) | |End of course |
| | |assessment by |
| | |trainer to National|
| | |ACPO guidelines |
|----------------------------------+-----------------+-------------------|
|Small and large goods vehicle | |End of course |
|(lgv) | |assessment by |
| | |trainer to National|
| | |ACPO guidelines |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+

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),

Reply: No

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

Reply: Basic and Potentially Standard Response

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

Reply: Each course is a complete module

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),

Reply: None, all are basics

Some of your questions are aimed at the Special Constabulary therefore I
have included the below data which you may find useful:

Authorities sent to all West Mercia Special Constabulary Officers on
20/07/09

Driving Authorities

All special Officers MUST undertake a basic driving assessment before
driving a police vehicle. Driving assessments are normally taken at the
conclusion of probation and when authorised for independent patrol. Each
officer should submit a PDR3 to the training panel requesting an
assessment. There may be circumstances requiring officers to be permitted
to drive before completing their probation, nevertheless an assessment
must be completed before doing so.

All officers involved in the deployment of Special Constables need to be
mindful of the driving authorities granted to them.

Once authorised this allows the officers to drive marked and unmarked
standard powered police vehicles. However, Special Constables are
restricted from certain activities.  They must not:-

            1.         Exceed any posted legal speed
limits.

            2.         Respond in the Emergency mode
(using blue lights and sirens).

            3.         Cause other vehicles to stop on
the highway.

            4.         Use emergency warning equipment
(Sirens, Blue lights, etc) except in accordance with 4.16.

            5.         Engage in any pursuit driving
(either initial or tactical).

            6.         Engage in surveillance driving.

Only if basic assessed drivers have attended scene safety training, can
they use the blue lights and other auxiliary lights, BUT only when
stationary and as a warning for other road users to provide protection at
the scene of an incident and for no other purpose.

More details can be seen in the Force Driver Authorisation Procedure.

Responding to Level 1, 2 and 3 calls

It is accepted that in line with operational effectiveness decisions have
to be made to provide the most appropriate response to a call for
assistance from a member of the public.  Only general advice on what is
appropriate can be outlined in this procedure, as each event has to be
considered on its own merit.

Level 1

Special Constables should not ordinarily be deployed to Level 1 incidents
as the initial response.   Their driver training does not allow for an
emergency response.  If Special Constables are deployed to a Level 1
incident as the first response, then they cannot be expected to continue
to manage that response without support from other colleagues.

Members of the Special Constabulary are an additional resource to the
regular force, not an alternative.  They should be deployed to these
incidents as a last resort.

Levels 2 and 3

Special Constables should not be deployed to Level 2 and 3 incidents
unless it is on their area and there are no regular officers available to
attend.  Again support on management of the incident will be required.

At this time Special Constables are not PIP certified Level 1
investigators.  Special Constables attend an initial training course that
prepares them for uniformed patrol.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by our
Force Training Department is as accurate and comprehensive as possible.

Your attention is drawn to the below which details your right of
complaint.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write
or telephone the Information Compliance Unit quoting the reference number
above.

Yours sincerely

Mr B McDermott

FOI Officer

Information Compliance Unit

Information Management and Technology Department

West Mercia Police

PO Box 55

Hindlip

Worcester

WR3 8SP

01905 331545 / 331565

West Mercia 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 Mercia Police
Headquarters, PO Box 55, Hindlip, Worcester, WR3 8SP.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require West Mercia Police (WMP) to review their
decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome and encouraged to
discuss the decision with the person that dealt with your request.

Ask to have the decision looked at again -

The quickest and easiest way to have the decision looked at again is to
telephone the person named at the end of your decision letter.

That person will be able to discuss the decision, explain any issues and
assist with any problems.

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
WMP made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information, you can lodge a complaint with WMP to have the
decision reviewed.  WMP must be notified of your intention to complain
within 2 months of the date of its response to your Freedom of Information
request.  Complaints should be made in writing and addressed to:

West Mercia Police Headquarters

Information Management and Technology Department

Hindlip Hall

Hindlip

PO Box 55

Worcester

WR3 8SP

In all possible circumstances, WMP will aim to respond to your complaint
within 2 months.

The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with WMP if you are still dissatisfied with the
decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for a
decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk 
Alternatively, phone or write to:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Phone:            01625 545700

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