Support for move to better protect officers who stop vehicles

12 May 2020

The Federation is working with the Home Office to amend the new Police Powers and Protections Bill to allow for a new power for officers to require motorists to get out of their vehicles when requested to do so after a police stop.

It comes after a series of incidents in which officers have been seriously injured by drivers fleeing after being stopped, with there being four reported incidents a week in the Midlands in which the occupants of a vehicle refuse to get out and the driver then drives at officers when making off.

Tim Rogers, deputy secretary of West Midlands Police Federation and pursuits driving lead for the Federation nationally, has already successfully campaigned for legislative change to give better legal protection for police drivers and this has been included in the new bill meaning their driving will no longer be judged by the standards of the careful and competent driver with their training and expertise being taken into account.

But, while liaising with the Home Office to progress the new bill, it has become clear that an amendment to Section 163 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 or a new power under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) could potentially be incorporated too.

“Despite the current crisis, ministers appear to remain committed to introduce the bill, which was introduced in the Queen’s Speech last December, later in this Parliamentary session which is very positive news,” says Tim.

“Legislative vehicles for such improvements; improvements that will have a positive impact on all officers do not come along very often. Therefore, we have several matters on the same bill.”

Tim wrote to the Home Office in March to ask for consideration of an expansion of Section 163 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, to introduce a new power that would allow police to make people get out of a vehicle on request.

The move has the support, in principle, of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s roads policing lead, Anthony Bangham.

But Tim also wants to hear from any officers who have been involved in incidents where they have been injured – or risked injury – due to a driver making off after a police stop so that he can gather further evidence to present to the Home Office.

Please email Tim at tim.rogers@polfed.org if you can help.