CONFERENCE


London, David Davies, Executive Director of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, and David Snelling, Policy Team Leader at the Department for Transport. Dr Elliott explained how legislation changes in the last six years have seen “a sea change in how forensic toxicology has been used within policing”. He added: “This is to the extent that


80 per cent of all forensic toxicology requests are in relation to roads policing, and that includes drugs and alcohol. “Of this 80 per cent of all of submissions are specifically related to drugs. Nearly three quarters of all cases where drugs are detected involve cannabis or cocaine. If you put that into context, our entire forensic toxicology system is really dealing with two drugs – cannabis and cocaine.”


with a sergeant or a team leader to find if any immediate support or early signposting is needed.


NPCC lead inspired by family tragedy The Roads Policing Lead for the


National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) said her desire to improve safety was inspired by a family tragedy. Chief Constable Jo Shiner shared how she had lost her father in a road accident in 1990 and how this had become her inspiration to help colleagues and the public by improving safety. Her admission came in a session


titled ‘The Future of Roads Policing’, during which she and Alison Hernandez, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners’ (APCC) Lead for Road Safety, looked ahead on the state of the profession. Chief Constable Shiner revealed: “To


give you some perspective – 1990 was the year my father was killed in an accident on his way to work. He was killed by a driver who was under the influence of drink – although that was never proven. “He ended up getting three points on


his licence, so I know exactly how it is to live with these consequences for over 30 years. Everything that I lead is led through that lived experience.” APCC Lead Ms Hernandez stressed


the importance of the role of PCCs in roads policing.


‘The Government is listening’ The National Police Chiefs’ Council


(NPCC) lead on the Roads Policing Review, Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) and Chief Officer, Department for Transport (DfT), Steve Barry said “the Government is listening” to


20 I POLICE I OCTOBER 2021 the Federation. In 2019 the Dft launched a review into


roads policing as the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads was failing to decline. Last year 1,472 people were killed on our


roads and 22,014 were seriously injured. ACC Steve Barry said: “What we are


aiming for is a safe, secure, efficient and socially responsible roads and motorway network. The review provided a once in a generation opportunity to fix the problems suffered by roads policing in recent years. Whether it’s funding, political will, a cross-government approach or a singular decision. We have the attention of Government and they are listening.” The Government is now looking to


launch a cross-government strategic roads policing framework, which will lay out the strategy to improve the service using the findings of the Roads Policing Review which will be published soon.


Drug driving focus Forensic toxicology requests in


relation to roads policing essentially deals with just two drugs and the majority involves cocaine and cannabis. The CPD-approved session “Safer


Roads – Drug-driving” was told by Consultant Forensic Toxicologist Dr Simon Elliott that “our entire forensic toxicology system is really dealing with two drugs”. Dr Elliot was appearing as a panellist alongside David Davies, Executive Director of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, Professor Max Cameron from Monash University Accident Research Centre, Australia, Professor Kim Wolff from King’s College,


More support needed to attract new recruits More must be done to break down the


stereotypical views on a career in roads policing to make it more appealing to new recruits and then support them if they chose this career path, said Federation Roads Policing Lead Gemma Fox in the closing session. “I think for a long time we’ve focused


on the core elements of training and the law side of things. Let’s show a bit of passion and show our new recruits coming through early on the other aspects of roads,” she said. “There is acquisitive crime, organised crime gangs, different kinds of units such as ANPR that are targeting real specific crime types and trends and supporting neighbourhood policing. Let us show them it is not just some of the stereotypical views held for a long time about roads policing.” Tim Rogers, PFEW National Driver


Training and Pursuits Lead, warned “limited progress will be made without funding” and said police chiefs and police and crime commissioners needed to put more pressure on the Government. He said: “The Government is making noise about supporting police through the 20,000 uplift – but there is no guarantee this reinvestment will go into roads policing. I would like to see people putting their money where their mouth is. “Many years ago, there was a time


where the roads policing budget was protected. I question whether or not we need to go back to a time where that budget is protected so chiefs don’t have a choice where to spend it.”


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