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Siren-less West Midlands police cars 'preventing arrests' Siren-less West Midlands police cars 'preventing arrests'
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Police officers have warned that staff cuts have forced them to use police cars with no sirens to attend crime scenes and urgent calls, leading to delays and potentially preventing arrests.Police officers have warned that staff cuts have forced them to use police cars with no sirens to attend crime scenes and urgent calls, leading to delays and potentially preventing arrests.
The West Midlands branch of the Police Federation, the body that represents rank-and-file officers, said the force’s siren-less Vauxhall Corsa patrol cars, originally intended for neighbourhood policing, have been used more than 100 times in the last year to attend urgent incidents.The West Midlands branch of the Police Federation, the body that represents rank-and-file officers, said the force’s siren-less Vauxhall Corsa patrol cars, originally intended for neighbourhood policing, have been used more than 100 times in the last year to attend urgent incidents.
Officers are required to drive them at patrol speed only and obey the rules of the Highway Code even when attending an emergency.Officers are required to drive them at patrol speed only and obey the rules of the Highway Code even when attending an emergency.
West Midlands olice said the cars should not but used for urgent call-outs but said this is not routine. West Midlands olice said the cars should not be used for urgent call-outs but said this was not routine.
Federation healthy and safety lead Pete Harkness said: “Officers are ordered to drive the Corsa at patrol speed and obey the rules of the road. The Police Federation’s health and safety lead, Pete Harkness, said: “Officers are ordered to drive the Corsa at patrol speed and obey the rules of the road.
“But the absence of a siren means they often cannot get traffic to move out of their way and this, in turn, can delay them getting to an emergency situation.“But the absence of a siren means they often cannot get traffic to move out of their way and this, in turn, can delay them getting to an emergency situation.
“This is very frustrating for the officers and they feel they are letting the public down by not getting to them as quickly as possible in a crisis situation.”“This is very frustrating for the officers and they feel they are letting the public down by not getting to them as quickly as possible in a crisis situation.”
The force currently has 109 Vauxhall Corsas within its fleet of vehicles, which are equipped with blue lights but not sirens.Handed to local neighbourhood teams, the vehicles are attended to provide a police presence through conducting patrols, attending appointments with victims of crime and to enforce road closures. The force currently has 109 Vauxhall Corsas within its fleet of vehicles, which are equipped with blue lights but not sirens.Handed to local neighbourhood teams, the vehicles are intended to provide a police presence through conducting patrols, attending appointments with victims of crime and to enforce road closures.
At no point were they intended for response work as they are low performance vehicles, West Midlands Police said. At no point were they intended for response work as they are low-performance vehicles, West Midlands police said.
Superintendent Kerry Blakeman, from the force’s operations department, said: “Any officer can respond to an incident if they are suitably trained to drive at speed and are in an appropriate vehicle – with lights and siren. Supt Kerry Blakeman, from the force’s operations department, said: “Any officer can respond to an incident if they are suitably trained to drive at speed and are in an appropriate vehicle – with lights and siren.
“Officers who are not appropriately trained or driving an appropriate vehicle can attend an incident as quickly and safely as possible while complying with the Road Traffic Act just as members of the public should. “Officers who are not appropriately trained or driving an appropriate vehicle can attend an incident as quickly and safely as possible while complying with the Road Traffic Act, just as members of the public should.
“Incidents graded as ‘immediate’ are responded to as soon as possible, usually in a matter of minutes and on many occasions require the use of lights and sirens. At no point was the Corsa intended for response work as it is a low performance vehicle.” “Incidents graded as ‘immediate’ are responded to as soon as possible, usually in a matter of minutes and on many occasions require the use of lights and sirens. At no point was the Corsa intended for response work as it is a low-performance vehicle.”
Police forces have warned they may not be able to maintain standards in the face of crippling budget cuts of 20% over the last five years and possibly 40% during the current parliamentary term.Police forces have warned they may not be able to maintain standards in the face of crippling budget cuts of 20% over the last five years and possibly 40% during the current parliamentary term.
Sara Thornton, head of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), suggested people may not always be visited at home after break-ins as police prioritise other crimes. Sara Thornton, head of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), suggested that people may not always be visited at home after break-ins as police prioritise other crimes.
And it emerged last month that Leicestershire police piloted an approach in which attempted burglaries at even-numbered houses would be fully investigated, with forensic teams sent – but this would not happen if the victim lived in an odd-numbered house to work within under-pressure budgets.And it emerged last month that Leicestershire police piloted an approach in which attempted burglaries at even-numbered houses would be fully investigated, with forensic teams sent – but this would not happen if the victim lived in an odd-numbered house to work within under-pressure budgets.