Andrew Kitson
3 Mar 2022 · Coroner Kevin McLoughlin · West Yorkshire (East)
The coroner's concerns
1. spontaneous police pursuits in residential areas
“The evidence taken at the inquest revealed insufficient statistical evidence was available to guide an evaluation of the proportion of spontaneous police pursuits which (a) involve driving at high speeds through residential areas; (b) result in the apprehension of an offender; (c) result in personal injury to other road users or property damage; (d) are aborted without the alleged offender being caught; without such analytical feedback (ideally prepared on a national basis) the risks inherent in”
2. burdensome safety review during high-speed pursuits
“The rules governing spontaneous police pursuits in residential areas place an onerous burden uoon police drivers to review continuously the safety of oroceedinq 1 whilst at the same time driving at high speed”
3. reliance on fragmented radio messages for pursuit management
“The pursuit manager who authorises the continuance of a pursuit is dependant upon fragments of verbal messages relayed over the radio, due to the perceived need to leave airtime for other TPAC units to input information”
4. unreliable real-time visual monitoring
“real time camera pictures from the police vehicle are not always available due to IT issues”
5. need for clearer pursuit parameters
“In order to lessen the burden upon the police driver in having to weigh numerous factors in a continuing, complex judgement, consideration should be given to a refinement of the parameters in which pursuits in residential areas are permitted”