Road Policing

Jan Berry, Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales: “For too long successive governments and chief police officers have neglected road policing priorities. Whilst accepting that modern technology such as speed cameras can assist the police it should not be used as a replacement.  Cameras can only detect a speeding motorist whereas a police officer may detect someone driving without insurance, MOT or under the influence of drink or drugs, not to mention the visible police presence”.
 

• The Police Federation of England and Wales strongly supports the concept of a dedicated ‘Roads Policing’ department in each of the 43 forces in England and Wales.  

 

• The often complex and technically challenging road traffic laws require enforcement by police officers that are skilled and trained to a suitably recognised standard. We believe training needs more investment and we will continue to work to achieve more training, awareness and support to officers providing this service. This will ensure that what the public receives is a high level of professional competence. 

 

• Road safety must remain a high priority for the police service. It is a fundamental aspect of police work.  With about 3400 unnatural deaths on our roads each year, together with thousands of injury related collisions, it is essential that operational resilience is maintained if public confidence is not to be lost.  

 

• Continue to press for a hard line to be taken toward those who commit anti social and criminal acts using motor vehicles and on those who are simply incompetent. All road traffic related incidents must be properly investigated by fully trained and skilled police officers.

 

• We believe with proper leadership, management accountability and funding, roads policing officers can deliver a more visible and effective, value for money service. This will also enable officers to be able to deal more robustly with the transient elements of criminal activity where motor vehicles are used in the commission of crime, especially using motorways.  

 

• We will use every opportunity to campaign for better, more reliable and effective technical support equipment to assist roads policing officer’s to carry out their duties. We believe more investment is needed in the technology used by roads policing officers, to help them be more effective against the criminal element. 

 

• Support the use of safety cameras, but only where they are used in the pursuit of properly established speed or traffic light controlled problems, we are concerned with regard to the labelling of such devices as revenue generating machines.

 

• Recognise the contribution the new Highways Agency Traffic Officers (HATOs) will provide in their supporting role of monitoring the motorway network.  Their presence will take away many of the less important tasks previously undertaken by highly skilled and trained police officers. We welcome the role for which they have been established, but this should not be seen as a green light to allow a ‘power creep’ or an opportunity for further enhancement of their agreed operating profile.  

 

• We will continue to work closely with the Highways Agency and ACPO to ensure our representative voice on behalf of Roads Policing Officers remains clear and unambiguous. We consider it essential that the roles and responsibilities of the police and the Highways Agency do not become blurred or confused. Were this to occur then operational effectiveness and public confidence would be lost.

Download PDF Version