Herts rep gives overview of Roads Policing Conference

30 January 2020

Smart motorways came under discussion on the second day of this year’s Police Federation Roads Policing Conference held in Kenilworth, Warwickshire this week.

Hertfordshire Police Federation was represented at the conference by workplace representative Gareth Rees who said it was an interesting two days with a packed agenda.

“The panel discussion on smart motorways was heated. There is a clear steer from ministers, police and stakeholders that they are dangerous and an urgent review needs to happen.  But it was very sad that Highways England declined to be present having withdrawn from the conference on the back of the Panorama documentary broadcast earlier this week,” says Gareth.

Another issue given emphasis at conference was the Police Powers and Protections Bill which will give police drivers better protection in law. Following a campaign led by the Police Federation. The bill was introduced in the Queen’s Speech following the General Election in December.

Gareth explains:   “The new law will see police drivers on both pursuits and response drives compared to a peer with the same skillset in the event of a complaint as opposed to being compared to the actions of a careful and competent non-blue light trained member of the public.

“The new law would only cover police with future amendments being considered for other blue light responders provided they train to our standards.”

The panel session considering the role of roads policing officers was a highlight of conference for Gareth and included a commitment from DCC Terry Woods, NPCC lead for police driver training, to make the role ‘a really professional vocation within policing’.

“The College of Policing is working on a national role profile and looking at a bespoke accredited qualification for RPU officers similar to the Professionalising Investigative Process training for detectives.”

Earlier during the conference Chief Constable Anthony Bangham, roads policing lead for the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said that, with the uplift of officers nationally, now is the time to table a discussion on roads policing.

“He mentioned 1,784 fatal RTCs for last year which equates to almost five a day, which is unacceptable. He made the link between the rise in road deaths and the reduction of tickets being issued for the ‘Fatal 4’ offences due to lack of RPU presence. Speeding offences have also increased with 97 per cent of detected offences being by way of speed cameras, again highlighting the reduction of RPU officers,” says Gareth.

Delegates were given a choice of break-out sessions on the first day of conference with Gareth opting to attend a presentation by South Yorkshire Police about their use of drones saving money compared to helicopters.

The conference included a national update around the Forensic Collision Investigation Network, a scheme that will see all 43 police forces signed up and sharing data with a view to all being ISO accredited by October of this year.

There was also a presentation from the Independent Office for Police Conduct on how it conducts its investigations.

“They are committed to improving how they investigate fatal RTSs following police contact and have employed subject matter specialists across their offices in the UK,” Gareth explains,  “They have pledged to better understand police practices by being involved in the preparation and delivery of training, including collision investigation and driver training. More timely investigations especially those that are well evidenced through video, audio and vehicle data systems.”