§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent guidance he has issued to chief constables concerning high speed pursuits. [179226]
§ Caroline FlintThe Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) launched in March new guidance for the management of pursuits. I welcome this.
The ACPO guidance, produced in consultation with the Police Complaints Authority (now the Independent Police Complaints Commission), is designed to help ensure that pursuits can be resolved quickly and safely for everyone involved. It will help ensure development of a coherent policy that maximises safety for all those involved. Its guidelines stress the importance of considering each pursuit individually, according to the developing circumstances, with decisions being made on the basis of the changing information available. The guidance fully recognises that there may be occasions when it is better to discontinue a pursuit on the grounds of public safety.
Work continues to ensure that the correct training is provided in the police service, that there are adequate management controls, and that robust risk assessments are in place to ensure that safety is maintained at all times.