Police chases 'endanger public safety'

Officers make "inadequate risk assessments" in chases

The police are "endangering public safety" by not assessing risks before taking part in high-speed pursuits, according to a report on fatal car crashes involving officers.

Researchers from the independent Police Complaints Authority (PCA) examined 85 incidents in England and Wales over the last four years.

They said improvements were needed in police driver training and called for a ban on police chases in unmarked cars with no warning systems.

Report's main points

Police engage in too many pursuits that "endanger public safety"

Management control should be increased as pursuits "evolve"

Officers who pursue without control room permission or fail to cease on request should be at risk of discipline

Many incidents are preventable by changes in force policy or by pro-active measures

The study was carried out amid concern about the increasing number of deaths arising from police car pursuits, which have soared in last four years.

According to figures there was a record 44 pursuit deaths last year, compared to nine in 1997/98.

The report found that when police embarked on a chase, assessment of the potential dangers was "inadequate".

This resulted in "risky" decisions being taken by police drivers rather than by managers in the control room.

It recommended control managers should have greater involvement and should take charge of pursuit from the control room. A centrally-agreed strategy should be put in place first, it added.

The report also calls for a ban on chases involving convoys of police vehicles and unmarked police cars which have no concealed sirens or lights.

'Police car killed my son'

Communication between officers in pursuit cars is also criticised as "unsatisfactory".

The report recommends that police passengers are given training to provide commentaries for their drivers.

The PCA's new report, entitled Fatal Pursuit, investigated 85 collisions involving police pursuits between 1998 and 2001, which resulted in 91 deaths.

A spokesman for the PCA said the deaths were mostly of those in the vehicles being chased, but sometimes also involved innocent passing drivers or bystanders.

Most were on quiet or almost deserted roads, often on 30mph roads in towns, and many took place on Saturday and Sunday nights.

The present situation cannot be allowed to continue

PCA Chairman Sir
Alistair Graham

Dennis Homer's 20-year-old innocent son Neil was killed in a collision which happened as police were following the driver of a stolen car.

He welcomed the report and hoped it would increase police resolve to punish offending drivers.

PCA Chairman Sir Alistair Graham said: "Far too many people have died as a result of crashes following police pursuits.

"We must make every effort to minimise the risk of collision, injury or death in these circumstances.

"I am most concerned that the numbers of fatalities have continued to grow and there is no sign of them levelling off - if anything the latest figures show the rate is accelerating.

"The present situation cannot be allowed to continue and a positive effort must be made to manage these events properly."