FORCE POLICY - Collisions - West Yorkshire Police

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OFFICIAL Collisions Page 1 of 24

Collisions Contents

Part one – Policy ............................................................................................................ 2 Chapter 1 Definition ................................................................................................ 2 Chapter 2 Criteria .................................................................................................... 3

Reporting and recording procedures ................................................ 3 Chapter 3 Principles ................................................................................................ 3 Chapter 4 Tactical pursuit and containment incidents (TPAC) ................................ 4

Part two – Policy procedure ......................................................................................... 5 Chapter 1 Action at the scene ................................................................................. 5

Attended by district officers .............................................................. 6 Damage only ............................................................................. 6 Injury .......................................................................................... 7

Before leaving the scene ................................................................. 7 Chapter 2 Reporting and recording ......................................................................... 8

Police collisions ................................................................................ 8 Death or serious injury ..................................................................... 8

Completing and submitting the MG NCRF ................................. 9 Slight injury .................................................................................... 10 Damage only .................................................................................. 10

None of the above ................................................................... 11 Driver fails to stop, supply details and the offending driver or vehicle is untraceable .............................................................. 11

Chapter 3 Driver may have health or medical problem ......................................... 13 Chapter 4 Outcome of police enquiries ................................................................. 13 Chapter 5 Requests for information ...................................................................... 14

Collision reports ............................................................................. 14 Collision details .............................................................................. 14 Statements ..................................................................................... 15 Questionnaires ............................................................................... 16 Photographs ................................................................................... 16

Chapter 6 Payment for emergency medical treatment .......................................... 16 Chapter 7 Interviews for civil proceedings............................................................. 16 Chapter 8 Police collisions .................................................................................... 17

Responsibilities .............................................................................. 17 Driver or first officer on scene .................................................. 17 Inspector or above ................................................................... 18 Investigating officer .................................................................. 18 Senior investigating officer ....................................................... 20

Chapter 9 Drivers of covert vehicles ..................................................................... 20 Chapter 10 Off duty collisions ................................................................................. 21 Chapter 11 Out of Force collisions .......................................................................... 22 Chapter 12 Claims and correspondence ................................................................. 22

Part three – Information and toolkits ......................................................................... 23

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Collisions

Part one – Policy

Policy summary

West Yorkshire Police complies with Authorised Professional Practice (APP) which contains information to assist policing, and has established a local policy procedure to outline the steps we will take when attending and dealing with road traffic collisions.

Aim The aims of this policy procedure are to explain: • what to do at the scene of a collision;• how collisions should be categorised, reported and recorded;• what to do if you suspect a driver has a health problem;• who can be informed about the outcome of police enquiries;• how and when information can be provided to third parties; and• what happens if you are interviewed for civil proceedings.

Scope This policy procedure applies to all police officers and police staff.

Compliance Road Traffic Act 1991 Road Traffic Act 1988 APP Road policing

Related policy procedures

Fatal and potentially fatal collisions

Chapter 1 Definition

Police collision

A police collision is defined as a collision involving either a: • police vehicle (including hire vehicles) being driven by a police officer

or member of police staff, either on or off duty; or• a private vehicle being driven by a police officer or member of police

staff on duty; or• a private vehicle being driven by a police officer or member of police

staff off duty, the collision is brought to the attention of the police atthe time it occurs and the off duty officer or staff member makes theiroccupation known to the police call taker or attending officer(s).

Journeys to and from home and usual place of work, using a privately owned vehicle, are to be treated as if the officer or staff member is off duty.

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Chapter 2 Criteria

Reporting and recording procedures

Driver's duty Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, as amended by the Road Traffic Act 1991, imposes obligations on drivers of mechanically propelled vehicles who are involved in road accidents.

The relevant aspects of this legislation, and obligations of the driver to report to the police, can be found on PNLD.

Police duty Our duty to record collisions is wider than that of the Road Traffic Acts.

Generally, there are two types of collisions. Those which involve:

Type Recording death or injury to a person;

We have a duty to record all collisions which: • involve the death or injury of a person; and• occur on a road or place to which the public have

access (on payment or otherwise).non – injury; Recording of non - injury collisions will depend on the

circumstances.

Decision maker

Only a Protective Services - Operations officer who has undertaken the relevant mandatory training can be a decision maker for injury RTCs.

Timescales You do not have to record any collision which is reported more than 30 days after it has happened.

Collisions of a significant nature can be recorded after 30 days, only with the permission of a district commander.

Chapter 3 Principles

Important – Force undertaking

A supervisor, must attend the scene of all police collisions to: • ensure the integrity of the investigation; and• maintain public confidence that an independent investigation is being

carried out.

Driver undertaking

If you are involved in a police collision you must: • be careful to avoid any suggestion that you have used your position

to disadvantage any other party; and• not make any admission of liability either verbally or in writing to a

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third party.

Death or serious injury

If, owing to the presence of a police vehicle on a road, death or serious injury occurs, the district detective inspector or cadre detective inspector must be contacted immediately.

Professional Standards should also be notified by email where, as a result of a collision involving a police officer: • a death occurred; or• proceedings are started against the police officer resulting from a

Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decision.

Chapter 4 Tactical pursuit and containment incidents (TPAC)

Not treated as police collision

Collisions involving ‘on duty’ tactical pursuit and containment (TPAC) trained officers using either plain or marked police vehicles, undertaking a recognised TPAC tactic which results in contact between the police vehicle and the subject vehicle (e.g. boxing, tactical contact, etc.) need not be treated as a police collision.

Exception to not treating as a police collision

The only exception to the above, being where: • the use of the tactic has resulted in injury to any party, or• damage is caused to vehicles or property belonging to a third party

who is not involved in the pursuit.

In these instances, the matter will be dealt with as a police collision and a supervisor must attend the scene.

In all other instances, where damage only is caused to the subject vehicle and/or pursuing police vehicles, a police supervisor must still attend the scene but there will be no requirement for a Collision Report (MG NCRF) to be submitted. A POLVEH and Storm log will suffice. Any contact between a police vehicle and either the subject vehicle or a third party vehicle must be reported to the Force Communications.

Where any injury or damage is caused, a POLVEH message must be sent by email within 24 hours to the POLVEH mailbox.

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Collisions

Part two – Policy procedure

Chapter 1 Action at the scene

Immediate action

Your primary aim when attending the scene of a road traffic collision (RTC) is to: • safeguard life; and• prevent further collisions.

On arrival in a police vehicle, you should consider parking it in such a way as to protect the scene. You must:

Step Action 1 wear high visibility clothing and, as far as practicable,

ensure that the scene is clearly signed and illuminated; and

2 ensure that adequate assistance and suitably equipped emergency vehicles attend.

Breath test and check documents

All drivers involved in a collision will be required to undertake a breath test. You should:

Step Action 1 consider a preliminary impairment test; 2 interrogate PNC database for driving licence, insurance

and MOT details; and 3 only issue an HORT1 when the information cannot be

otherwise obtained and for MOT certificates.

Injured persons

You should consider requesting an ambulance, even if a person’s injuries seem minor or superficial at the time.

Dangerous substances

If the collision involves dangerous substances you must immediately notify Force Communications. They will identify the inherent dangers and put procedures into place to deal with them.

Hazards of 'safety restraint systems'

While ensuring increased safety for the occupants of a motor vehicle during a crash, in - car safety restraint systems can prove dangerous to unsuspecting personnel who deal with a collision or incident involving a motor vehicle.

To assist with the safety of personnel, ACPO have produced a safety restraint systems fact sheet which can be accessed.

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Property It is your responsibility to look after the property of persons: • killed;• injured; or• who are unable to look after their own property.

You must book in and record the property on Niche.

If the police vehicle recovery scheme, i.e. Rota Garage, is in operation, they will take over responsibility for all property.

Fail to stop vehicles

If the collision is a fail to stop, consider circulating details of the vehicle for the information of other officers and forces.

You should also consider requesting the services of the Collision Investigation Unit to examine the scene. They can also be called to examine debris left at the scene.

Further guidance

Full guidance on protecting yourself and others at the scene of a collision, as well as other actions, can be found in the APP Road Policing.

Attended by district officers

Damage only

Information required

As a district officer, you must: • ensure parties exchange details; and• have all involved parties / vehicles added to the Storm log.

Details of what is required vary depending on the type of collision and information on this can be found in the Reporting and recording chapter - Damage only.

No offences If you don’t identify any offences, you should request the Storm log is finalised using the appropriate code.

Offences detected or suspected

If you detect or suspect offences, you should: • close the Storm log using the appropriate code to generate a Niche

Occurrence;• continue enquiries on the occurrence; and• submit the file to supervision on completion for review and decision.

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Injury

Action required

As a district officer, you must:

NB All injury collisions must be reviewed by a RPU decision maker.

Step Action 1 ensure all involved parties and vehicles are passed to the

controller to be added to the Storm log and the log should remain open;

2 use a mobile data terminal, or return to a station, to complete a Collision Summary (Form 299). You can access this under Force Forms on Infoshare - New/Force Forms/Road Policing/Collision Report Forms;

3 attend your nearest public enquiry counter so that you can email the Collision Summary; and

4 transfer the open Storm log to the relevant RPU hub so that it can be allocated to a decision maker.

Before leaving the scene

Risk assessment

You must conduct a thorough risk assessment of the location, including the surrounding area, before leaving the scene.

Obvious safety risk

If there is an obvious safety risk and repairs/remedial action are required urgently, you should communicate this to the local authority via your control room and remain with the defect until the local authority attend.

Communications staff

The operator will endorse the Storm log with: • the name of whom they spoke to at the local authority;• the details supplied; and• an estimated time of arrival.

It is not appropriate to leave a message on an answer phone or send an email where there is an obvious risk to the safety of other road users.

Attending officer

You must explain your concerns to the local authority staff once they arrive.

The local authority staff member will then carry out their own risk assessment about what action should be taken and it is at this point that the local authority assumes responsibility for the defect.

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You must not leave the scene until: • it is deemed safe to do so;• the local authority has attended and assessed the risk against their

protocols; or• remedial works have been implemented to remove any risk to the

safety of other road users.

Damage to street furniture / highway defects

Where you identify damage caused to street furniture and/or defects in the public highway, it is your responsibility to notify the relevant agency by emailing the following forms: • B2D - Notification of damage to property;• PO15 - Notification of defect in highway; and• PTE1 - Notification of damage to property owned by Metro.(The forms can be found on Infoshare – Word & PDF Force forms tabunder the drop down menu ‘Road Policing.’)

This must be done within 24 hours for none urgent cases. Where there is an obvious risk to other road users, an email report is not appropriate and you must contact the local authority directly, as detailed above.

Storm log The Storm log will not be closed unless the following questions are answered and endorsed on the log:

1. Has the attending officer undertaken a risk assessment of thescene?

2. If so is it safe to leave?3. Has damage been caused to the road or street furniture?4. Have any other defects contributed to the collision?5. If so, has a form B2D or PO15 been submitted?

Chapter 2 Reporting and recording

Police collisions

Information For police collisions, you should refer to Chapter 8.

Death or serious injury

Criteria for recording

If … Then … any collision on a road or place to which the public have access (on payment or otherwise), which involves a motor

• complete a/an:– MG NCRF in all cases;– STATS19;– Storm log with details of all involvedparties and close it using the

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vehicle or non motor vehicle i.e. pedal cycle or ridden horse, causes death or serious injury.

Serious injuries are – as determined by the Department of Transport;

appropriate code to generate a Niche Occurrence; and

– Niche Occurrence with details of allinvolved parties and scan all reportson;

• document details of the investigation onthe Occurrence Enquiry Log (OEL); and

• submit to supervision for review anddecision.

Further advice

Further advice about the investigation and reporting of fatal and potentially fatal collisions is available in a separate policy procedure.

Completing and submitting the MG NCRF

Timescales If you need to complete an MG NCRF, you must ensure that you:

Step Action 1 carry out enquiries in a timely manner; and 2 submit it to your line manager for guidance and decision

within 28 days.

Factual information

The MG NCRF must be completed as fully and accurately as possible, with a note of evidence or information still being gathered detailed on the back page. The 'summary of the collision' section must be completed with factual information and not opinions.

Stolen vehicles

If the collision involves a stolen vehicle, you must record the owner’s insurance details in the MG NCRF.

Recommend enquiries / case finalisation

You can make recommendations regarding enquiries and case finalisation to assist with the decision making process. However the ultimate decision rests with your line manager.

Further evidence gathering

The file may be returned to you or district supervision to arrange further evidence gathering as directed by your line manager.

Out of Force collisions

Any collision reported in Force that occurred out of the Force area will be reported and recorded on the MG NCRF and, if necessary, forwarded to the relevant police force.

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Armed forces vehicles

In some cases, service personnel will decline to make statements following a collision until the authority of their commanding officer has been given. If you require such a statement you must obtain the authority via the police in the area in which their unit is based.

If you wish to trace a military vehicle by its number, you should contact Force Communications.

Slight injury


If any collision involves slight injury where …

Then …

details are exchanged and no prosecution is being considered;

complete: • Storm log; and• STATS19.

enquiries are required to trace a party or prosecution is being considered;

complete: • Storm log and close it using the

appropriate code to generate aNiche Occurrence so enquiries cancontinue on Niche;

• STATS19; and• Niche.

no further action is to be taken against any party for offences contributing to the cause of the collision, for evidential or public interest reasons;

• ensure all details are passed to thecontroller for adding to the Storm logand request it is closed using theappropriate code.

Damage only

Type If … Then … Injury to a prescribed animal

the collision involves injury to a prescribed animal.

A 'prescribed animal' means a horse, cattle, ass, mule, sheep, pig, goat or dog;

• complete Storm log; and• record in your pocket

notebook (if one is kept).

Vehicle defect a vehicle defect is the cause of the collision;

• complete an offencereport; and

• consider a TrafficOffence Report (TOR).

Negligence the available evidence indicates that a person's negligent manner of driving was the main cause of the collision.

complete: • Storm log; and• Niche.

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The negligent driving must be more than a minor error of judgement or temporary inattention and sufficient to warrant consideration of prosecution by RPU officer (including consideration of the Driver Improvement Scheme);

Offences revealed

an offence is revealed which did not contribute to the collision;

• complete an offencereport; and

• consider TOR.Fail to stop a driver has failed to stop, supply

details and the offending driver or vehicle is: • traceable; complete:

• Storm log; and• Niche.

• untraceable;Road or street furniture damaged

damage has been caused to street furniture or a road defect is the cause of the collision;

• complete Storm log;• record in your pocket

notebook (if one is kept).

Collisions with bridges

a vehicle is in collision with a bridge which goes over or carries a railway line, there is a danger that debris may have fallen on the lines or the alignment of the rails could have been affected;

• you must adhere to the Police bridge strike protocol.

None of the above


If ... Then ... the collision falls outside of all the above ‘damage only’ criteria;

• complete Storm log; and• record in your pocket notebook

(if one is kept).

Driver fails to stop, supply details and the offending driver or vehicle is untraceable

Report received by telephone

If the report is by telephone, you should:

Step Action 1 interrogate Storm to determine if the collision has already

been reported by the driver of the other vehicle; 2 record brief details on Storm, location, identity of driver and

vehicle/s; 3 check PNC to ensure driver holds drivers licence and

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insurance for the vehicle involved, record on Storm log; 4 provide the Storm log number to the driver; and 5 no further lines of enquiry:

• inform driver log will be finalised (damage onlycollisions); or

further lines of enquiry: • tell the driver to take the Storm log number and their

driving documents to the police station (see below) inorder to make the formal report.

Person attends police station

When the person makes the report at the police station, you should:

Step Action 1 interrogate Storm to determine if the collision has already

been reported by the driver of the other vehicle; 2 record full details on Storm of the collision and driving

documents, using any existing Storm log for the incident; and

3 complete Collision Summary (Form 299). You can access this under Force Forms on Infoshare - New/Force Forms/Road Policing/Collision Report Forms; and

4 transfer the open Storm log to the relevant RPU Storm allocation queue (see below); and

5 email the associated Collision Summary.

For the above category, the driver will need to report the collision in compliance with Section 170 (6) of the Road Traffic Act 1988, i.e.: (a) at a police station or to a constable, and(b) as soon as is reasonably practicable and, in any case, withintwenty four hours of the occurrence of the accident.

RPU Storm allocation queue

Protective Services - Operations decision makers will be allocated the Storm log to deal with by their sergeant.

As the RPU decision maker, you must submit a STATS19 where an injury was sustained by any party.

If you decide ... Then you can close the Storm log ... no further action is required;

using the appropriate code.

further action is required;

with the appropriate code to generate a Niche Occurrence via the CAD interface.

NB All Storm logs must be closed before you retire onto rest days or leave.

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Fail to stop and notice of intended prosecution (NIP)

If you identify the offending vehicle and it is possible the driver may be unaware of the collision, you must send an NIP to the registered keeper. This may prevent the use of any statutory defence by the driver.

NB NIPs can be signed by any West Yorkshire police officer or police staff member with responsibility for the recording, administration or investigation of road traffic collisions.

Chapter 3 Driver may have health or medical problem

Introduction The Driver and Vehicles Licensing Agency (DVLA) have a specialist department to investigate all aspects of a driver’s health, where there is a likelihood of its affecting safe driving.

Notify DVLA If you deal with a collision where you find or suspect such a condition, you should notify them and include copies of any supporting statements to:

The Drivers Medical Section, DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1TU.

Chapter 4 Outcome of police enquiries

Introduction Certain people who are involved in collisions, where a police report has been taken, will be notified of the result of any actions taken.

Categories The categories of people are: • drivers of motor vehicles or owners if an unattended vehicle is

involved;• injured pedestrians or cyclists; and• owners of property damaged.

Notified in writing

The officer in case should notify people in person or over the ‘phone. Where this is not practical, they can send out letters.

Templates are available on Niche as part of the form 158 range.

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Chapter 5 Requests for information

Fees All cheques and monies received in district in respect of fees for the following must be paid into the Central Process Bureau (CPB) receipts account.

Collision reports

Introduction Copies of collision reports can be supplied on payment of a fee to: • solicitors;• insurance companies; or• other interested parties,after any proceedings have been completed.

Special circumstances

The Chief Constable can waive the charge in special circumstances.

Insurance companies

Insurance companies acting on behalf of the Motor Insurers' Bureau will not be charged.

Collision details

Criteria to whom details may be disclosed

When requested, the CPB may supply certain details of collisions, free of charge, to the following:

No Category of people 1 the driver of a vehicle involved in the collision; 2 the owner(s) of property damaged (including a motor

vehicle); 3 the owner(s) of injured animals; 4 any person who has been injured in a road collision; 5 the accredited representative or insurance company of any

of the interested parties mentioned in (1) to (4); and 6 a doctor or hospital (under the authority of the Road Traffic

Act).

What details can be provided

When the above category of people request details they can be provided with the following:

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No Description of information 1 registration number(s) of vehicle(s) involved; 2 name(s) and address(es) of owner(s) - you should not

supply details obtained from PNC, unless they have been corroborated by other means: e.g. substantiated by interview with a relevant party;

3 name(s) and address(es) of driver(s); and 4 insurance details for each vehicle.

Damage only collisions

In the case of 'damage only' collisions, insurance details will be supplied if they are already available.

Where this is not the case no additional enquiries should be made to obtain them

Non reportable collisions

No details should be supplied in the case of non-reportable road collisions.

Complainants should be advised to contact the DVLA at Swansea.

Statements

Introduction Copies of statements may be supplied in the same way as collision reports.

Person's own statement

CPB may supply a person or their legal representative with a copy of their own statement at anytime during an investigation.

Notifying CPS CPS should be notified of any supply of statements during an investigation.

Pressure to retract

If it is felt that others are bringing pressure on the witness to obtain their statement: • with a view to retracting it; or• to enable any witness to lie consistently,then the matter should be referred to the CPB.

Other statements

Requests made for other statements should be acknowledged and sent to the CPB, as soon as proceedings have ended.

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Questionnaires

From insurance companies

If you witnessed or dealt with a collision while on duty and receive a questionnaire from an insurance company, you must not complete it.

You should submit it with a covering minute sheet to your district commander.

The correspondence must be acknowledged and forwarded to the CPB.

Photographs

Introduction All requests for copies of photographs taken by the police in connection with collisions will be submitted to the CPB.

Request for photographs

Photographs will only be supplied to the relevant category of persons after any proceedings have been ended.

Chapter 6 Payment for emergency medical treatment

Information The Road Traffic Act 1972 provides for payment of a fee to a doctor called to a collision and in some cases to the hospital authorities.

If you receive any request for payment of such fees, you should forward them to the CPB, for the attention of the Collisions Section.

Chapter 7 Interviews for civil proceedings

Introduction Interviews about road collision cases are permitted to enable solicitors to obtain proofs of evidence from officers who may be called to give evidence at civil proceedings.

Permission Interviews will only be granted when confirmation has been received from the solicitor concerned that civil proceedings have started, unless the Force Solicitor grants an exemption.

Interviews may only be authorised by the CPB or the Office of the Force Solicitor.

Requests and Details of any requests and correspondence must be referred to the

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correspondence supervisor at the CPB.

Officer to read and sign

Officers will be allowed to give a proof of evidence to a solicitor or his representative on the understanding that a copy will be supplied for perusal and signature by the officer concerned.

The CPB or the Office of the Force Solicitor will be at liberty to supply a copy to any other legitimate enquirer.

Motor Insurers' Bureau

The Motor Insurers Bureau or its agents are permitted to interview police officers free of charge.

All requests for such an interview must be referred to the supervisor at the CPB.

Interview conditions

An interview for civil proceedings must be conducted in the presence of an officer not below the rank of sergeant and the following must apply: • a record must be made of the interview and a copy should be

forwarded to the supervisor at the CPB;• the officer must confine his remarks to factual matters upon which he

is competent to give evidence in court, matters of opinion must notbe discussed; and

• an officer may only indicate positions of vehicles, etc. on a sketchplan, if it is drawn to scale.

Ombudsman Requests to interview a police officer should be directed to the supervisor at the CPB.

If you are interviewed by any representative from the Local Ombudsman's Office it may be conducted without an inspector being present, you should not ask for a copy of the notes.

Chapter 8 Police collisions

Responsibilities

Driver or first officer on scene

Notifying the Force

If you are the driver of a vehicle involved in a police collision or the first officer on the scene, you must: • notify Force Communications; and• arrange for a supervisor to attend.

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Inspector or above

Inspector's responsibilities

An officer, not below the rank of inspector:

No Considerations 1 must oversee all police collisions; 2 ensure that the scene is preserved and the circumstances

are formally investigated; 3 • must attend the scene at the time of the report, if the

collision involves injury to any person;4 should take into account the seriousness of the collision

and any other factors likely to be of interest to the public or the Force, and consider informing the: • district commander (or deputy);• district PACE cover (or Force Silver Cadre chief

inspector out of hours);• Professional Standards; and• Force Duty Officer,as soon as practicable.

Delegate to a sergeant

The inspector may delegate a sergeant to deal with the incident when: • the driver is a police constable; or• the driver is a member of the police staff; or• circumstances indicate that the driver involved is clearly not at fault

and has not committed any offences.

NB: The responsibility for investigating the collision cannot be delegated any further.

Investigating officer

Investigating officer

As the investigating officer, you must ensure that: • the driver has the correct authority to drive that type of vehicle and in

the manner that it was being used; and• all necessary police reports are completed, i.e. MG NCRF and a

(POLVEH) form.

If the collision has resulted in injury or damage, then you must also complete: • Storm log;• STATS19; and• Niche.

Email message

An email (POLVEH) message must be completed and sent within 24 hours, in respect of the following vehicles, a:

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(POLVEH) • police owned or hired vehicle:• being used by any member of the Force while on duty; or• while off duty but travelling to or from work; or• privately owned vehicle:• being used by an member of the force while on duty; and• involved in any incident where injury or damage is caused.

Note: This also applies to external hire vehicles, where the hire company insurance is not used.

Where an off duty collision occurs, and all involved vehicles are privately owned, there is no requirement to submit a POLVEH, even if the collision is subsequently dealt with as a police RTC.

Vehicle was involved in a pursuit

• Additionally, when the collision has resulted from a pursuit, youmust:

• confirm that the driver has the necessary driving authority to beinvolved in an initial or tactical phase pursuit;

• confirm that the necessary authority for a pursuit had been grantedby the Force Communications;

• make a detailed assessment of the pursuit to ensure that nationaland Force guidance had been complied with;

• debrief the pursuit with the officer; and• submit the RT18a.

If there is damage to a police vehicle or hire vehicle, you must follow the procedure for damaged vehicles.

Fatal and serious injury collisions

If a police vehicle is involved in a fatal or serious injury collision (includes permanent life changing injuries, amputations, major breaks or significant organ damage), then you should:

Step Action 1 inform the following people immediately:

• Force Duty Officer;• district commander for the area where the collision

occurred or Force Silver Cadre chief inspector; and• Professional Standards; and

2 consider instigating the Post incident procedure (non firearms).

If Professional Standards do not take over the investigation fully, the enquiry will be dealt with by an investigating officer from a district other than that of the officers involved.

The Major Collision Enquiry Team (MCET) will investigate all fatal collisions.

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Allegations of defects

Where an allegation is made or it is suggested that a police vehicle is un-roadworthy, you must: • not move or interfere with it; and• request the services of the Collision Investigation Unit.

Likewise, to provide a perception of fairness, you should do the same for a privately owned vehicle driven by a police officer or member of police staff on duty.

Finalising a collision report

The MG NCRF collision report can be finalised by a district commander or nominated representative where no allegations or offences have been committed by the police or police staff driver.

Senior investigating officer

Advice and assistance

A Roads Death Senior Investigating Officers (RDSIO) will attend all fatal or potentially fatal police RTCs, in the first instance to start the initial investigation.

For less serious police RTCs, RDSIOs will provide advice to territorial district staff dealing with the incident but will not take ownership of the investigation as this remains a district responsibility.

The only exception being incidents that occur on the motorway network where the investigation will remain with the RPSIO.

• RDSIOs are on duty 24/7 and can be contacted via the Force DutyOfficer.

Chapter 9 Drivers of covert vehicles

Minor damage If you are involved in collision involving minor damage only, and you have no culpability for the collision save for a minor error of judgement, then you must stop and fulfil your obligations as a driver under the Road Traffic Act.

In these circumstances is not necessary for a supervisor to attend the scene if doing so would jeopardise any ongoing operation. However, you must report the collision to an inspector of the district where the collision occurred.

Injury or non minor damage

If the collision involves injury or the damage caused is other than minor, then all necessary action as set out under this policy must be followed.

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In all cases the procedures for suspending a driver’s authority to drive must still be followed.

MG NCRF The MG NCRF must be fully completed and attached to the Niche occurrence.

The district chief inspector should be made aware of the circumstances.

Investigation The responsibility for investigating, and where appropriate finalising, the collision, remains that of the district in which it occurred.

Out of force If a collision occurs in another force area, then it must be reported to the local police, in accordance with the section on ‘Out of Force collisions.’

Chapter 10 Off duty collisions

Introduction Where an officer is involved in a collision while off duty, there is no other requirement on them to do anything other than comply with the law.

Brought to attention of police

Where a collision involving an officer or member of police staff off duty is brought to the attention of the police, the procedures for an equivalent on duty collision will be followed, unless: • the collision is damage only, involves privately owned vehicles only

and details have been exchanged between the parties; or• the collision is damage only, involves privately owned vehicles only

and the other party failed to stop and cannot be traced.

Not drive on duty

If the driver was about to start duty, wherever possible, they should not drive a police vehicle during that duty period.

Recording a collision on Niche

If during the Niche recording of a collision, it becomes apparent that one of the involved drivers was an off duty police officer or police staff member, in a private vehicle, there is no requirement to deal with the matter as a police collision unless: • at the time of the original incident, the matter was reported to the

police and the original call taker or attending officer was made awarean off duty police officer or police staff member was involved; or

• information suggests the police officer or police staff member hasattempted to use their position to disadvantage any other partyinvolved in the collision; or

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• the police officer is obviously at fault and will potentially faceprosecution.

Chapter 11 Out of Force collisions

Driver's responsibilities

If a police collision occurs out of Force, you must:

Step Action 1 report the incident to the local police; 2 as soon as practicable, notify our Force Communications

by 'phone who in turn will notify the relevant district or departmental head; and

3 submit a minute sheet, within 24 hours, to your district or departmental head giving details of the incident. If this is not possible then the supervisor will make enquiries to acquire the information, so they can submit the minute sheet.

Supervisor A supervisory officer will ensure that a (POLVEH) form is completed where appropriate, within 24 hours.

Chapter 12 Claims and correspondence

Claims Any third party claims received in Force, relative to an incident involving an Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) owned vehicle, must be forwarded to the Claims Handlers at the Office of the Force Solicitor.

Other correspondence

If any other correspondence is received from third parties, solicitors or insurance companies, etc, this should be sent ASAP to the Claims Handlers at the Office of the Force Solicitor.

OFFICIAL


Collisions

Part three – Information and toolkits

STATS19 STATS19 is a web based software solution which: • officers can access from any mobile device; and• is used to record all injury collisions regardless of their severity.

It allows us to provide more accurate data for partners, removes duplication, notifies the public of outcomes faster and reduces the number of calls from the public requesting information.

OFFICIAL


Collisions

Documents

FORCE POLICY - Collisions - West Yorkshire Police