Police officers should have the \u201cfull backup of the law\u201d when pursuing suspects in a vehicle, South Yorkshire Police Federation has said.<\/p>\n
Federation Chair Steve Kent was speaking following the PFEW Roads Policing Seminar on 30 January. At the seminar, barrister Mark Aldred said that police officers were facing a \u201close-lose situation\u201d when dealing with a suspect who runs away, and that they were vulnerable to being prosecuted for driving incidents while pursuing people. However officers would be equally exposed if they chose to not chase a suspect, as the public would be at risk.<\/p>\n
Steve said: \u201cThe public expects police officers to pursue bad people, including those who steal cars, and who use cars for vehicle crime. But it is an increasingly hostile environment for officers to do this, and it\u2019s almost like it\u2019s not worth it because the officer\u2019s liberty and their livelihood is on the line every time. We\u2019re not backed by legislation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know that the public are understandably sick of off-road bikes and crime that involves vehicles, as well as the standard of driving on the roads. But nobody seems to join the dots together and it\u2019s the police officers who are putting their necks on the line when they\u2019re going out and doing this.\u201d<\/p>\n
He continued: \u201cAs far as I\u2019m concerned, if police officers are honestly trying to do their best to apprehend criminality on the road, they should have the full backup of the law, rather than being lambasted.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause, 90% of the time, the public overwhelmingly backs our officers to do this job, so why isn\u2019t that message being translated to politicians? It is seriously concerning.\u201d<\/p>\n