Court case highlights real-life consequences for officers doing their job, says Fed

12 February 2025

Police officers are often in a no-win situation when tackling crime, says West Midlands Police Federation secretary Tim Rogers.

Tim said that, while officers were expected to keep the public safe, the reality of policing meant they could face prosecution themselves for simply using their training to keep the public safe.

He was speaking after a retired police officer was cleared of causing serious injury by dangerous driving after a collision with an e-bike.

The court heard former PC Tim Bradshaw touched the back wheel of the e-bike with his marked police car, causing two suspects to fall to the ground.

Mr Bradshaw, a now-retired Sussex Police officer, said the use of a ‘tactical contact’ manoeuvre had been authorised by his superiors, and he was permitted to use ‘reasonable force’.

West Midlands Police Federation secretary Tim Rogers.

However, he was accused of causing injury to a ‘prolific’ offender who had more than 40 convictions. The passenger, who had 26 previous convictions including assaulting emergency workers, suffered minor injuries.

The retired officer denied the charge, saying he acted to protect life. The jury at Portsmouth Crown Court took less than an hour to clear him.

West Midlands Police Federation secretary Tim Rogers said: “I am always saddened to see an officer put through this ordeal for simply doing as the public expects of them.”

He said the case raised ‘the usual and ongoing’ issues for frontline officers.

Personal consequences

“Officers are expected to act to keep the public safe,” he said. “And they absolutely do, often without thinking about the personal consequences.

“In this instance – and in many others across the country – serial recidivists are a common source of complaint and were officers seen to do nothing they would be criticised, and yet where they act instinctively to keep the public safe they are vulnerable to prosecution.

“Officers are increasingly being placed in an impossible situation, criminals become aware of this and exploit it.

“The Government eventually believed the police needed better facilities and powers to effectively deal with menaces on two wheels when they finally introduced a new standard test for police-trained drivers in November 2022.

“Sadly, Mr Bradshaw narrowly missed being able to avail himself of this new law and was prosecuted even with this, though vulnerabilities still remain.”

Parallels

Tim said there were parallels with the case of the W80 firearms officer and the use of force by officers.

West Midlands Police Federation has previously said the effect of the W80 ruling would impact officers in all arenas, not just firearms, and would make them ‘hesitant’ to act.

Officers are making split-second decisions every day before acting but have those actions analysed by people who have the benefit of hindsight and no frontline experience, the branch has said.

West Midlands Police Federation has called for the Supreme Court’s judgement in the W80 case to be overturned. If the ruling is not overturned, the Federation said, it would have to explain the ‘double jeopardy’ faced by officers.

Tim said: “Not engaging and dealing with offenders goes against every cop’s professional and moral fibre – but that’s the reality of what our members are faced with.