health and safety

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Sat 27 Jan 2007 22:45
health and safety - P.Mason {P}
I read today in the Telegraph that police in Manchester refused to chase two motorcycle thieves because they weren't wearing helmets, and might sue the police if they fell off the bikesduring the pursuit!
How not to get pulled up after a bank robbery- stick a sign in the back window of the getaway car - 'Driver and passengers NOT wearing seatbelts'...
P.
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Sun 28 Jan 2007 14:46
health and safety - Westpig
the above is a fairly common problem

you, the taxpayer, pay a fortune for a police officer to have driving courses up to an Advanced Standard. This training includes pursuit training and the concerns that go with it e.g. do you really want to kill a 16 yr old on a moped by chasing him into danger, when the only offence was 'No L Plates'.

however, as hinted above, what happens if the moped has someone on it who's just robbed the local bank at gunpoint and shot someone fatally on the way out

not being psychic (despite some political commentators or tabloid journalists beliefs) the cop isn't going to know which one is which.......certainly not to start with anyway

chuck into the equation the civilianisation of police control room posts, so you can have someone in charge of the control room (and therefore in overall charge of the pursuit) who has had no policing experience whatsoever, but is well versed in the current health and safety legislation and/or management GUIDELINES....

then it is hardly surprising that the easiest way of dealing with this is to not allow the pursuit in the first place.

I said 'easiest', not 'correct'.

i've highlighted the word 'guidelines' above for a reason, because any incompetent manager can fall upon guidelines and set them in stone, because it makes their job easier doesn't it i.e. no decision to make, no comeback later etc, you're following advice given by others, instead of making your mind up on each separate occasion according to the facts.

this ends up with the ludicrous situation described.......eventually any crook that wanted to commit any crime, could hop on or in any motorised transport and have a free for all.....great.

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Sun 28 Jan 2007 14:57
health and safety - Pugugly {P}
From my understanding Officers are allowed to do Dynamic Risk Assessments (DORAs) but woe betide them if they get it wrong. Westpig puts it well.
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Sun 28 Jan 2007 15:17
health and safety - Westpig
there is a slightly humorous side to this (only slightly because of the seriousness of the topic)

police officers being what they are want to catch the crook........ they do not want to be 'called off' by the control room.

Over a period of time an experienced officer will learn to give a commentary over the radio that sounds most ordered and calm, which can be the total opposite of what is really happening, ....some of this will be no doubt experience etc.......but some is because they've worked out a frantic and excited commentary sounds like it's dangerous whereas the other one doesn't....... a dangerous pursuit will be 'called off'.

I've been at the tag ends of pursuits and seen the police vehicle four wheel drift around a roundabout in the dry .....with the operator talking like they're taking their granny down the shops.... and then bung in a comment about how good the road conditions are or similar.

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Sun 28 Jan 2007 15:31
health and safety - islandman
One half of me says 'so what, chase the so & so's and if they come off and kill themselves tough! But it's not as simple as that is it. There is the safety of the law abiding public to consider. How would you feel if an accident happened and killed your son/daughter/wife etc who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Also there is always some preditory lawyer ready and willing to file a law suite against the police (read us, the tax payer) claiming mega compensation for an infringement of human rights or something. We live in a complicated mad society!!
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