Police vehicles in the United Kingdom
Encyclopedia
Police vehicles in the United Kingdom are hugely varied depending mostly upon the duties that the vehicle is purchased to fulfil, along with the standard of training the driver has received. One of the oldest and most common police vehicle in the UK is the panda car
which is often used in a community policing role and general patrol duties.
Following an emergency call
a response car
is often deployed to reach the scene as quickly as possible, with regards to public safety. If a vehicle fails to stop when requested by police officer
s and enters into a pursuit
, then a more specialised traffic unit
may dispatched.
Other vehicles employed by police forces in the UK include motorcycles
, helicopters
and boats.
livery on the sides and rear. These markings may take the form of a simple blue, yellow or red stripe down the side of the vehicle, or high-visibility battenburg markings
(with blue and yellow the accepted Home Office
colours for police use). Some carry slogans, the force crest and/or advertisements for police initiatives.
Panda cars, also known as beat or general-purpose cars, are used to aid in community policing having been employed only for general patrol duties. In some forces these vehicles are commonly low-budget cars and incapable of high speeds, but in others the only distinction between a panda car and a response car is the standard to which the driver is trained. Basic drivers of panda cars may not be allowed to use all the emergency warning equipment on the vehicle.
has been received relating to a current, ongoing or recent incident or emergency. They often continually patrol a specific area to enable a fast response. Response vehicles tend to be small family car
s, with common examples including the Ford Focus, Škoda Octavia
and Vauxhall Astra
. These are usually fitted with engines with a size of around 1.6 to 1.8 litres. Although petrol-powered engines once dominated, diesel engines are now becoming more common due to their superior fuel economy and therefore lower operating costs.
Response cars can be used in the initial phase of a police pursuit
, but can only be used in later tactical phases if the driver is authorised to do so by virtue of advanced driving qualifications.
Response vehicles will generally carry equipment for use at road-based incidents, such as cones, warning signs, shovels, marker chalk and basic first aid
equipment. Many response cars now also carry mobile data technology which can be linked to police databases and automatic number plate recognition
technology, both mobile and static. Some vehicles will have calibrated speedometers to allow officers to carry out enforcement duties through 'follows' of vehicles.
, also use area cars. These vehicles tend to patrol a larger area and may only deal with specific emergency calls.
Area cars tend to be larger-engined cars, such as the BMW 3 Series
and Vauxhall Vectra.
s, responding to emergencies in a larger area, and carrying a greater amount equipment than a typical panda or response car. It is for that reason that many of the vehicles are estate car
s. Common examples include the Volvo V70
(with a 2.4-litre turbocharged
petrol engine) and the Vauxhall Vectra (with a 2.8-litre V6
).
As with response cars, diesel-engined cars are becoming more widespread. As well as estate cars, four-wheel drive
vehicles such as the Range Rover
and BMW X5
are often used especially for motorway patrols. Police officer
s are required to undergo specialised training before being authorised to drive these vehicles. They will mostly be fitted with more advanced technology such as video recording, laser speed detection and 360-degree automatic number plate recognition
.
Unmarked vehicles are also often employed for traffic duties.
s:
. For this reason ARVs are often powerful or larger cars which can carry large amounts of equipment. Some forces do not operate dedicated ARVs but instead use traffic cars that usually perform standard road policing tasks but are also able to respond to firearms incidents.
ARVs are usually crewed by either two or three authorised firearms officer
s.
. Police motorcycles are also used in road safety initiatives such as Bikesafe, a national programme to reduce motorcycle casualties in which police motorcyclists provide advanced rider training
to members of the public.
The most common motorcycles used include the BMW R1200RT
, Honda ST1100
, and Yamaha FJR1300
. The Honda ST1300
was the most popular bike, but it was withdrawn from service by most forces in 2007, following the death of a Merseyside police motorcyclist in 2005 in an accident caused by an inherent instability in the model.
or Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
, are widely used and some incorporate a cage for accommodation of a prisoner. Although in the United States it is possible to carry a prisoner or suspect in an ordinary police car, many forces do not permit this in the United Kingdom, as most police cars have no barrier between the front and back seats to protect the officers. Each police force will have different policies in relation to prisoner transportation: some will allow compliant prisoners to be transported in response cars (ensuring that one officer sits in the rear with the prisoner, and the prisoner sits behind the passenger seat).
Larger vans are also used by some forces as incident response that may act as a mobile control room at major incidents, and may also carry specialised equipment such as hydraulic door entry and cutting tools. One notable example is the Metropolitan Police's Territorial Support Group
who utilise Mercedes Sprinters to transport multiple officers to public order or major incidents.
Most response cars, patrol cars, and police motorcycles are fitted with a 'Runlock' system. This allows the vehicle's engine to be left running without the keys being in the ignition. This enables adequate power, without battery drain, to be supplied to the vehicle's equipment at the scene of a major incident. The vehicle can only be driven after re-inserting the keys. If the keys are not re-inserted, the engine will switch off if the handbrake is disengaged or the footbrake is activated; or the sidestand is flipped up in the case of a motorcycle. Runlock is also commonly used when an officer is required to quickly decamp from a vehicle, by enabling Runlock, the cars engine can be left running without the risk of someone stealing the vehicle, because, if the vehicle is driven normally, it will shut down, unless the Runlock system is turned off.
. In addition to blue lights, many traffic and incident response cars are fitted with flashing red lights that are only visible at the rear of the vehicle. These indicate that the vehicle is stopped or moving slowly.
that assists aircraft in identifying them. These can include the unique force code, vehicle identifying mark, or police division
that the vehicle belongs to
.
Most British police forces have access to an aircraft, commonly a helicopter. The most widely used helicopters are the Eurocopter EC 135
and MD Explorer
.
Police helicopters are fitted with an array of surveillance, navigation and communication technology to help them with a wide variety of tasks. The specific tasks that any one police helicopter performs will vary from force to force, but common deployments are for missing person
searches, vehicle pursuits, the tracking of suspects, and maintaining public order.
Some police helicopters may be shared with the local air ambulance
. In this case, a medically trained person may be carried onboard along with medical equipment and the aircraft will respond to medical emergencies as well as those of the police.
Police forces whose area includes significant waterways often include marine support units. Not only do these units police the waterways, but they also maintain a capability for waterborne rescue, usually in cooperation with HM Coastguard.
Panda car
The phrase panda car refers to a small or medium-sized police car operated by British police forces. They are used for ordinary patrol work, with larger and more powerful vehicles being used for emergency response, Road Policing Unit duties and as Armed Response Vehicles-History of the term:Panda...
which is often used in a community policing role and general patrol duties.
Following an emergency call
999 (emergency telephone number)
999 is an official emergency telephone number in a number of countries which allows the caller to contact emergency services for urgent assistance....
a response car
Police car
A police car is a ground vehicle used by police, to assist with their duties in patrolling and responding to incidents. Typical uses of a police car include transportation for officers to reach the scene of an incident quickly, to transport criminal suspects, or to patrol an area, while providing a...
is often deployed to reach the scene as quickly as possible, with regards to public safety. If a vehicle fails to stop when requested by police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
s and enters into a pursuit
Car chase
A car chase is the vehicular pursuit of a suspect by law enforcement officers. Car chases are often captured on film and broadcast due to the availability of video footage recorded by police cars and police and media helicopters participating in the chase...
, then a more specialised traffic unit
Road Policing Unit
The Road Policing Unit is the term for the Highway patrol within the majority of British police forces.-Responsibilities:RPUs work with the National Roads Policing Strategy, which has five strands:* Casualty reduction.* Counter-terrorism....
may dispatched.
Other vehicles employed by police forces in the UK include motorcycles
Police motorcycle
A police motorcycle is a motorcycle used by various police forces and departments. They may be custom designed to meet the requirements unique of a particular use. A police motorcycle is often called a "motor" by police officers in the United States...
, helicopters
Police aircraft
A police aircraft is an airplane, helicopter, powered paraglider, or blimpused in police operations. They are commonly used for traffic control, ground support, search and rescue, high-speed car pursuits, observation, air patrol and riot control...
and boats.
Ground vehicles
Road police vehicles in the United Kingdom are generally painted white or silver, although silver has become more common due to the perceived higher resale values after police use is finished. Vehicles are then usually marked with retroreflectiveRetroreflector
A retroreflector is a device or surface that reflects light back to its source with a minimum scattering of light. An electromagnetic wave front is reflected back along a vector that is parallel to but opposite in direction from the wave's source. The device or surface's angle of incidence is...
livery on the sides and rear. These markings may take the form of a simple blue, yellow or red stripe down the side of the vehicle, or high-visibility battenburg markings
Battenburg markings
Battenburg refers to a pattern of high-visibility markings used to maximise conspicuity, primarily used on vehicles of the emergency services, but also in other applications such as uniforms...
(with blue and yellow the accepted Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
colours for police use). Some carry slogans, the force crest and/or advertisements for police initiatives.
Panda car
Panda cars, also known as beat or general-purpose cars, are used to aid in community policing having been employed only for general patrol duties. In some forces these vehicles are commonly low-budget cars and incapable of high speeds, but in others the only distinction between a panda car and a response car is the standard to which the driver is trained. Basic drivers of panda cars may not be allowed to use all the emergency warning equipment on the vehicle.
Response car
Incident response vehicles (IRV) or emergency response vehicles (ERV) are generally deployed when an emergency telephone call999 (emergency telephone number)
999 is an official emergency telephone number in a number of countries which allows the caller to contact emergency services for urgent assistance....
has been received relating to a current, ongoing or recent incident or emergency. They often continually patrol a specific area to enable a fast response. Response vehicles tend to be small family car
Compact car
A compact car , or small family car , is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini but smaller than or equal to a mid-size car...
s, with common examples including the Ford Focus, Škoda Octavia
Škoda Octavia
The Škoda Octavia is a small family car produced by Czech automaker Škoda Auto since 1996, its name revived from a model originally produced between 1959 and 1971. The current Octavia is available in five-door liftback and station wagon....
and Vauxhall Astra
Vauxhall Astra
Astra is a model name which has been used by Vauxhall, the British subsidiary of General Motors , on their small family car ranges since 1979. Astras are technically essentially identical with similar vehicles offered by GM's German subsidiary Opel in most other European countries...
. These are usually fitted with engines with a size of around 1.6 to 1.8 litres. Although petrol-powered engines once dominated, diesel engines are now becoming more common due to their superior fuel economy and therefore lower operating costs.
Response cars can be used in the initial phase of a police pursuit
Car chase
A car chase is the vehicular pursuit of a suspect by law enforcement officers. Car chases are often captured on film and broadcast due to the availability of video footage recorded by police cars and police and media helicopters participating in the chase...
, but can only be used in later tactical phases if the driver is authorised to do so by virtue of advanced driving qualifications.
Response vehicles will generally carry equipment for use at road-based incidents, such as cones, warning signs, shovels, marker chalk and basic first aid
First aid
First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
equipment. Many response cars now also carry mobile data technology which can be linked to police databases and automatic number plate recognition
Automatic number plate recognition
Automatic number plate recognition is a mass surveillance method that uses optical character recognition on images to read the license plates on vehicles. They can use existing closed-circuit television or road-rule enforcement cameras, or ones specifically designed for the task...
technology, both mobile and static. Some vehicles will have calibrated speedometers to allow officers to carry out enforcement duties through 'follows' of vehicles.
Area car
As well as local response cars, some forces, particularly London's Metropolitan Police ServiceMetropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
, also use area cars. These vehicles tend to patrol a larger area and may only deal with specific emergency calls.
Area cars tend to be larger-engined cars, such as the BMW 3 Series
BMW 3 Series
The BMW 3 Series is a compact executive car manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. Successor to the BMW New Class, it has been produced in five different generations and in no less than five different body styles. It is BMW's best-selling model, accounting for around 30% of the...
and Vauxhall Vectra.
Traffic car
Traffic cars, or Roads Policing Units, are larger, more powerful vehicles that are capable of carrying out tasks such as high-speed pursuitCar chase
A car chase is the vehicular pursuit of a suspect by law enforcement officers. Car chases are often captured on film and broadcast due to the availability of video footage recorded by police cars and police and media helicopters participating in the chase...
s, responding to emergencies in a larger area, and carrying a greater amount equipment than a typical panda or response car. It is for that reason that many of the vehicles are estate car
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
s. Common examples include the Volvo V70
Volvo V70
The Volvo V70 is a mid-size five-door estate car / station wagon manufactured by Volvo Cars since 2000. It is closely related to the S70, S60 and S80 saloons, as well as the four-wheel drive Cross Country and XC70....
(with a 2.4-litre turbocharged
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
petrol engine) and the Vauxhall Vectra (with a 2.8-litre V6
V6 engine
A V6 engine is a V engine with six cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of three cylinders, usually set at either a right angle or an acute angle to each other, with all six pistons driving a common crankshaft...
).
As with response cars, diesel-engined cars are becoming more widespread. As well as estate cars, four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
vehicles such as the Range Rover
Range Rover
The Range Rover is a large luxury four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle produced by British car maker Land Rover. The model, launched in 1970, is now in its third generation...
and BMW X5
BMW X5
The BMW X5 is a luxury crossover SUV introduced in 1999 as the first generation E53. It was BMW's first SUV also known as "Four-by-Four" in the UK. It features all-wheel drive which is branded as the "X" drive system and is available with either manual or automatic transmission...
are often used especially for motorway patrols. Police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
s are required to undergo specialised training before being authorised to drive these vehicles. They will mostly be fitted with more advanced technology such as video recording, laser speed detection and 360-degree automatic number plate recognition
Automatic number plate recognition
Automatic number plate recognition is a mass surveillance method that uses optical character recognition on images to read the license plates on vehicles. They can use existing closed-circuit television or road-rule enforcement cameras, or ones specifically designed for the task...
.
Unmarked vehicles are also often employed for traffic duties.
Safe stop tactics
Tactical pursuit and containment (TPAC) is a term widely used by police in the United Kingdom and one which describes a range of measures for managing and terminating pursuitCar chase
A car chase is the vehicular pursuit of a suspect by law enforcement officers. Car chases are often captured on film and broadcast due to the availability of video footage recorded by police cars and police and media helicopters participating in the chase...
s:
- Boxing: Several police vehicles position around the pursued vehicle, bringing it to a slow and gradual stop by boxing the target vehicle in on all sides.
- Spike stripSpike stripA spike strip is a device used to impede or stop the movement of wheeled vehicles by puncturing their tires...
: This method is employed if boxing would be difficult due to the speed or aggressive driving of the target vehicle. A hollow spike tyre deflation device is placed across the road in front of the target vehicle to deflate its tyres. This can safely stop even a fast-moving vehicle, as the hollow spikes allow a controlled deflation to the tyres. This is also known as a hollow spiked tyre deflation system (HoSTyDS) and commonly referred to by the brand name Stinger.
- Tactical contact: This method is only used if there is an immediate danger to life, and if it would be inappropriate to break off the pursuit. Tactical contact involves a police car hitting the back end of the target vehicle, in the hope that it will spin around and lose traction. It is similar to the PIT manoeuvrePIT maneuverThe PIT maneuver is a method by which one car pursuing another can force the pursued vehicle to abruptly turn sideways to the direction of travel, causing the driver to lose control and stop. The backronym "PIT" has a number of different meanings, depending on the agency using it or school...
.
- Static stop: As a last resort, police cars can block off a road in the hope that it would force the vehicle to stop. This tactic requires authorisation from an officer of the rank Inspector or above, as it may cause damage to police vehicles and injury to officers.
- Road block: In extreme circumstances, a Chief ConstableChief ConstableChief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry...
may authorise the total closure of a road by placing immovable objects or non-police vehicles in the target vehicle's path, causing it to stop or change direction. This tactic is rarely used due to the high risk involved.
Armed response vehicle
In the UK, most police officers do not typically carry firearms, so many employ armed response vehicles (ARV) to provide firearms support to spontaneous incidents throughout their police areaPolice area
A police area is the area for which a territorial police force in the United Kingdom is responsible for policing.Every location in the United Kingdom has a designated territorial police force with statutory responsibility for providing policing services and enforcing criminal law, which is set out...
. For this reason ARVs are often powerful or larger cars which can carry large amounts of equipment. Some forces do not operate dedicated ARVs but instead use traffic cars that usually perform standard road policing tasks but are also able to respond to firearms incidents.
ARVs are usually crewed by either two or three authorised firearms officer
Authorised Firearms Officer
An Authorised Firearms Officer is a British police officer who has received training and authorisation to carry and use firearms. The designation is significant because within the United Kingdom, police officers do not routinely carry firearms...
s.
Motorcycles
Motorcycles are used by a number of forces in the UK, typically as part of the Road Policing UnitRoad Policing Unit
The Road Policing Unit is the term for the Highway patrol within the majority of British police forces.-Responsibilities:RPUs work with the National Roads Policing Strategy, which has five strands:* Casualty reduction.* Counter-terrorism....
. Police motorcycles are also used in road safety initiatives such as Bikesafe, a national programme to reduce motorcycle casualties in which police motorcyclists provide advanced rider training
Motorcycle training
Motorcycle training teaches motorcycle riders the skills for riding on public roads. It is the equivalent of driver's education for car drivers...
to members of the public.
The most common motorcycles used include the BMW R1200RT
BMW r1200rt
The BMW R1200RT is a touring motorcycle that was introduced in 2005 by BMW Motorrad to replace the R1150RT model. It features a flat-twin engine with a six-speed gearbox and shaft drive.-Previous RT models, 1970s to 2004:...
, Honda ST1100
Honda ST1100
The Honda ST1100, also known as the Pan-European, is a sport touring motorcycle that was manufactured by Honda until 2002.- History :The ST1100 began its production in 1990 and ended in 2002, although the police variant, the ST1100P, was available for several more years.A revamped model, the...
, and Yamaha FJR1300
Yamaha FJR1300
The Yamaha FJR1300 is the Yamaha Motor Company's largest sport touring motorcycle, currently in production as the FJR1300A and FJR1300AS .-History:...
. The Honda ST1300
Honda ST1300
The Honda ST1300, also known as the Pan-European, is a sport touring motorcycle manufactured by Honda and introduced to Europe in 2002. The following year, it was released in North America as the ST1300....
was the most popular bike, but it was withdrawn from service by most forces in 2007, following the death of a Merseyside police motorcyclist in 2005 in an accident caused by an inherent instability in the model.
Police van
Police vans, including the Ford TransitFord Transit
The Ford Transit is a range of panel vans, minibuses, and pickup trucks, produced by the Ford Motor Company in Europe.The Transit has been the best-selling light commercial vehicle in Europe for 40 years, and in some countries the term "Transit" has passed into common usage as a generic term...
or Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a light and heavy commercial vehicle, built by Daimler AG of Stuttgart, Germany as a van, chassis cab and minibus, and sold as a Mercedes model, except in the U.S. where it is built from complete knock down kits and was sold by Freightliner until 2010 when Mercedes...
, are widely used and some incorporate a cage for accommodation of a prisoner. Although in the United States it is possible to carry a prisoner or suspect in an ordinary police car, many forces do not permit this in the United Kingdom, as most police cars have no barrier between the front and back seats to protect the officers. Each police force will have different policies in relation to prisoner transportation: some will allow compliant prisoners to be transported in response cars (ensuring that one officer sits in the rear with the prisoner, and the prisoner sits behind the passenger seat).
Larger vans are also used by some forces as incident response that may act as a mobile control room at major incidents, and may also carry specialised equipment such as hydraulic door entry and cutting tools. One notable example is the Metropolitan Police's Territorial Support Group
Territorial Support Group
The Territorial Support Group is a Central Operations unit of London's Metropolitan Police Service consisting of 720 officers, that specialises in public order containment among other specialist policing. The TSG is a uniformed unit of the MPS that replaced the controversial Special Patrol Group...
who utilise Mercedes Sprinters to transport multiple officers to public order or major incidents.
Other vehicles
- Dog units: specially adapted to ensure the welfare of the police dogPolice dogA police dog, often referred to as a "K-9 dog" in some areas , is a dog that is trained specifically to assist police and other law-enforcement personnel in their work...
s, including air conditioning - Mounted units: horse trailerHorse trailerA horse trailer or horse van is used to transport horses...
s marked in police livery for the transport of police horsesMounted policeMounted police are police who patrol on horseback or camelback. They continue to serve in remote areas and in metropolitan areas where their day-to-day function may be picturesque or ceremonial, but they are also employed in crowd control because of their mobile mass and height advantage and... - Vehicle removal lorry: recovery lorryTow truckA tow truck is a vehicle used to transport motor vehicles to another location , or to recover vehicles which are no longer on a drivable surface.Towing services are generally provided by an emergency road service operator...
marked in police livery - Riot truck: various riot controlRiot controlRiot control refers to the measures used by police, military, or other security forces to control, disperse, and arrest civilians who are involved in a riot, demonstration, or protest. Law enforcement officers or soldiers have long used non-lethal weapons such as batons and whips to disperse crowds...
vehicles specially adapted with protective measures, such as windscreen shields - Command unit
- Mobile custody unit
- Equipment carrier
Equipment
Area cars (that respond to incidents) and panda cars (that are mainly used for community policing) may carry:- First aid kitFirst aid kitA first aid kit is a collection of supplies and equipment for use in giving first aid, and can put together for the purpose , or purchased complete...
- Traffic coneTraffic coneTraffic cones, also called traffic pylons, road cones, highway cones, safety cones, construction cones or witches' hats or safety wizards, are usually cone-shaped markers that are placed on roads or footpaths to temporarily redirect traffic in a safe manner...
s - Fire extinguisherFire extinguisherA fire extinguisher or extinguisher, flame entinguisher is an active fire protection device used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergency situations...
- TorchFlashlightA flashlight is a hand-held electric-powered light source. Usually the light source is a small incandescent lightbulb or light-emitting diode...
- BlanketBlanketA blanket is a type of bedding, generally speaking, a large piece of cloth, intended to keep the user warm, especially while sleeping. Blankets are distinguished from sheets by their thickness and purpose; the thickest sheet is still thinner than the lightest blanket. Blankets are generally used...
s - ShovelShovelA shovel is a tool for digging, lifting, and moving bulk materials, such as soil, coal, gravel, snow, sand, or ore. Shovels are extremely common tools that are used extensively in agriculture, construction, and gardening....
- BroomBroomA broom is a cleaning tool consisting of stiff fibers attached to, and roughly parallel to, a cylindrical handle, the broomstick. It is thus a variety of brush with a long handle. It is commonly used in combination with a dustpan....
- Breath analysis systemBreathalyzerA breathalyzer or breathalyser is a device for estimating blood alcohol content from a breath sample...
- Speed gun
- Spike stripSpike stripA spike strip is a device used to impede or stop the movement of wheeled vehicles by puncturing their tires...
(within Road Policing Units) - Teddy bearTeddy bearThe teddy bear is a stuffed toy bear. They are usually stuffed with soft, white cotton and have smooth and soft fur. It is an enduring form of a stuffed animal in many countries, often serving the purpose of entertaining children. In recent times, some teddy bears have become collector's items...
(some RPUs may carry them to console children after an accident) - EnforcerEnforcer (battering ram)Enforcer is the term given to a specially designed manual battering ram currently used by British Police forces to aid in gaining entry to premises.- Construction :...
, entry gaining device
Most response cars, patrol cars, and police motorcycles are fitted with a 'Runlock' system. This allows the vehicle's engine to be left running without the keys being in the ignition. This enables adequate power, without battery drain, to be supplied to the vehicle's equipment at the scene of a major incident. The vehicle can only be driven after re-inserting the keys. If the keys are not re-inserted, the engine will switch off if the handbrake is disengaged or the footbrake is activated; or the sidestand is flipped up in the case of a motorcycle. Runlock is also commonly used when an officer is required to quickly decamp from a vehicle, by enabling Runlock, the cars engine can be left running without the risk of someone stealing the vehicle, because, if the vehicle is driven normally, it will shut down, unless the Runlock system is turned off.
Warning equipment
Under the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989, police vehicles may display blue flashing lights to alert other road users to their presence or when the driver feels that the journey needs to be undertaken urgently. Most police vehicles are also fitted with a sirenSiren (noisemaker)
A siren is a loud noise making device. Most modern ones are civil defense or air raid sirens, tornado sirens, or the sirens on emergency service vehicles such as ambulances, police cars and fire trucks. There are two general types: pneumatic and electronic....
. In addition to blue lights, many traffic and incident response cars are fitted with flashing red lights that are only visible at the rear of the vehicle. These indicate that the vehicle is stopped or moving slowly.
Roof markings
Most police vehicles will have aerial roof markingsAerial roof markings
Aerial roof markings are symbols, letters or numbers on the roof of emergency vehicles, such as police cars, fire engines and ambulances to enable aircraft to identify them. These markings can be used to identify a specific vehicle, vehicle type or agency...
that assists aircraft in identifying them. These can include the unique force code, vehicle identifying mark, or police division
Police division
A division was the usual term for the largest territorial subdivision of most British police forces. In major reforms of police organisation in the 1990s divisions of many forces were restructured and retitled Basic Command Units , although some forces continue to refer to them as divisions.The...
that the vehicle belongs to
.
Aircraft
Eurocopter EC 135
The Eurocopter EC135 is a twin-engine civil helicopter produced by Eurocopter, widely used amongst police and ambulance services and for executive transport. It is capable of flight under instrument flight rules .-Development:...
and MD Explorer
MD Helicopters MD Explorer
|-See also:-References:* Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0 7106 2537 5.-External links:* *...
.
Police helicopters are fitted with an array of surveillance, navigation and communication technology to help them with a wide variety of tasks. The specific tasks that any one police helicopter performs will vary from force to force, but common deployments are for missing person
Missing person
A missing person is a person who has disappeared for usually unknown reasons.Missing persons' photographs may be posted on bulletin boards, milk cartons, postcards, and websites, along with a phone number to be contacted if a sighting has been made....
searches, vehicle pursuits, the tracking of suspects, and maintaining public order.
Some police helicopters may be shared with the local air ambulance
Air ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
. In this case, a medically trained person may be carried onboard along with medical equipment and the aircraft will respond to medical emergencies as well as those of the police.
Crew
The standard crew in a police helicopter consists of a pilot, responsible solely for operating and flying the aircraft; a front seat observer, responsible for operating the helicopter's surveillance systems; and a rear seat observer, responsible for communications using the tetra radio and downlink systems. Although both observers are often police officers, the pilot does not engage in any police activities and is usually not a police officer.Watercraft