Traffic pursuit prior to man's death - Metropolitan Police Service, December 2020

Metropolitan Police Service · Ref: 2019/117719

Recommendation date: 4 December 2020

Response due: 29 January 2021

Published: 18 December 2020

Death and serious injury Road traffic incidents

On 2 April 2019 just before 5.30pm, MPS officers were tracking a Kia Stinger vehicle in Central North London. A request for assistance had been put out over the radio and a number of police vehicles were involved in tracking the Kia. These included a marked police car, an unmarked police car and a police carrier. Just after 5:30pm, the Kia stopped at a set of temporary traffic lights on York Way, just before a junction. The marked police car stopped a few cars behind. The police carrier was travelling along in the opposite direction. It is believed to have then turned around and, jointly with the marked car, attempted to perform a reinforced stop on the Kia. However, the Kia did not stop and made its way around traffic waiting at the lights. The marked police car then activated its emergency warning equipment and pursued the Kia. The carrier …

View on IOPC website

Recommendations (2)

Recommendation 1 Accepted

Recommendation

The IOPC recommends that the Metropolitan Police Service make amendments to policy to more clearly define the training required in order for an officer to be authorised to engage in initial phase pursuits. The investigation identified a lack of clarity … Read more

Force Response

Accepted action: The MPS has reviewed and accepts the recommendation provided by the IOPC. The MPS Pursuits Policy- Police Pursuits Initial and Tactical Phase Q&As states that "the initial phase is the period of a spontaneous pursuit before tactical phase … Read moreAccepted action: The MPS has reviewed and accepts the recommendation provided by the IOPC. The MPS Pursuits Policy- Police Pursuits Initial and Tactical Phase Q&As states that "the initial phase is the period of a spontaneous pursuit before tactical phase can be considered or actioned. Trained drivers in suitable vehicles may be authorised to continue by a control room supervisor." When referencing trained drivers, the MPS MyHR application provides details of driving courses available to all staff. Under Response - Initial Phase Pursuit Management it provides the following details; "This course is to train Response car drivers in the initial phase of a pursuit. You must have completed 6 months as a fully qualified Response driver prior to the course. Over the 3 days following a classroom presentation, you will drive a marked Response car using emergency warning equipment, whilst in a simulated pursuit of an unmarked car driven by an instructor. To be successfull, you will need to demonstrate you can drive to the 'system', putting safety first whilst pursuing a subject vehicle and also be able to give a detailed pursuit commentary." This is also re-iterated in the MPS Learning and Development - Initial Phase Pursuit internal web page. The Pursuit Management (PM) code was introduced in 2014 as a confirmation that MPS police drivers had completed the National Centre for Applied Learning Technologies (NCALT) training in relation to Police Pursuits. The training module was withdrawn and Staff who have been directed to do this course are advised to look at three new NCALT courses; Police Pursuits: Introduction Police Pursuits: Pre-Planned Police Pursuits: Spontaneous Each module states: "This should be completed prior to any practical pursuit training" "All 3 modules must be completed in order and evidenced by the College of Policing MLE certificates awarded for each module prior to students enrolling onto their local force driver training course" The MPS Policy and Driving Standards Unit (PDSU) will be instructing all MPS Safer Driving Managers to cascade to all MPS drivers that the three NCALT modules are not an authorisation to pursue. This direction will be communicated at the next scheduled MPS Safer Driver Managers' Meeting on 26th January 2021 and subsequently the direction will then be cascaded to all MPS Police Drivers as soon as practicable. A consultation process is currently taking place between the MPS Hendon Driving Academy (HDA) and the PDSU to formulate a clear policy for all MPS drivers; ensuring drivers are aware that practical training is required for the initial pursuit phase. This is currently being led and progressed by the PDSU and is anticipated to be completed within four weeks. In the interim, the PDSU has created a link between the MPS Pursuits Policy and the MPS MyHR Driver Training Courses. This provides all MPS officers with a full description of the content of each individual driving course and the competency achieved upon successfully completing the relevant course. Show less

Recommendation 2 Accepted

Recommendation

The IOPC recommends that the Metropolitan Police Service ensures all information regarding an officer’s driving authorisation level is accurately documented in each officer's driving permit, and both the officer and their line manager ensure this information is kept up to … Read more

Force Response

Accepted action: The MPS has reviewed and accept the recommendation by the IOPC. All authorised police drivers are issued with an MPS driving permit showing their driving categories, driving entitlements, the dates of their MPS eyesight tests, details of driving … Read more