Vehicles
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 in the UK.
if there is a emergency call a response car will be deployed to reach the scene as quickly as possible,also driving in a safe way for public safety. If a vehicle fails to stop when requested by police officers and enters into a pursuit, then a more specialised traffic unit woll probaly be dispatched.e.g a faster police car.
Other vehicles employed by police forces in the UK include motorcycles, aircraft and boats
The police in the UK use a variety of vehciles. Ground vehicles, Road police vehicles in the United Kingdom are generally painted in base colours of white or silver, although silver has become a popular colour in some forces due to the perceived higher resale values after police use is finished whith the vehicles. Police Vehicles are then usually marked with retroreflective livery on the sides and red and yellow to the 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 on the sides or back of the car, some carry the force crest or sometimes advertisements for police initiatives.
Response car accident response vehicles (IRV) or emergency response vehicles (ERV) are generally deployed when an emergency telephone call has been received relating to a current, ongoing or recent accidnet or emergency. They often continually patrol a specific area to enable a fast response. Response vehicles tend to be small family cars, with common examples including the Ford Focus, Hyundai i30, Peugeot 308 and Vauxhall Astra. Engine sizes vary according to each forces vehicle procurement policies varying from 1.3 up to 2.0 diesels. Although petrol-powered engines once dominated, diesel engines are now becoming much more common due to their superior fuel economy and therefore lower operating costs.
Response cars can be used in the first phase of a police pursuit, but can only be used in later tactical phases if the driver is authorized has 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.
Traffic car
Traffic cars, or Roads Policing Units, are larger, more powerful vehicles that are capable of carrying out tasks such as high-speed pursuits, 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 cars. Common examples include the BMW 330 Diesel, 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 officers 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.
Armed response vehicle
An armed response vehicle of theMetropolitan Police Service
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 area. For this reason ARVs are often powerful or larger cars which can carry large amounts of equipment.Today, the car mainly used is the BMW 5 Series with the Metropolitan Police Service but all other forces use a variety of different vehicle makes. 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 officers.
Motorcycles
A Metropolitan Police BMW R1200RT motorcycle
Motorcycles are used by a number of forces in the UK, typically as part of the Road Policing Unit. 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 Pan-European, and Yamaha FJR1300. The Honda ST1300 Pan-European 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
An LDV Convoy van, in service with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
Police vans, including the Ford Transit 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.
Other vehicles
Terrorist response vehicle of the Metropolitan Police Service, sometimes used in Public order in extreme times such as the August 2011 UK riots
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 siren. 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 markings that assists aircraft in identifying them. These can include the unique force code, vehicle identifying mark, or police division that the vehicle belongs to.
if there is a emergency call a response car will be deployed to reach the scene as quickly as possible,also driving in a safe way for public safety. If a vehicle fails to stop when requested by police officers and enters into a pursuit, then a more specialised traffic unit woll probaly be dispatched.e.g a faster police car.
Other vehicles employed by police forces in the UK include motorcycles, aircraft and boats
The police in the UK use a variety of vehciles. Ground vehicles, Road police vehicles in the United Kingdom are generally painted in base colours of white or silver, although silver has become a popular colour in some forces due to the perceived higher resale values after police use is finished whith the vehicles. Police Vehicles are then usually marked with retroreflective livery on the sides and red and yellow to the 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 on the sides or back of the car, some carry the force crest or sometimes advertisements for police initiatives.
Response car accident response vehicles (IRV) or emergency response vehicles (ERV) are generally deployed when an emergency telephone call has been received relating to a current, ongoing or recent accidnet or emergency. They often continually patrol a specific area to enable a fast response. Response vehicles tend to be small family cars, with common examples including the Ford Focus, Hyundai i30, Peugeot 308 and Vauxhall Astra. Engine sizes vary according to each forces vehicle procurement policies varying from 1.3 up to 2.0 diesels. Although petrol-powered engines once dominated, diesel engines are now becoming much more common due to their superior fuel economy and therefore lower operating costs.
Response cars can be used in the first phase of a police pursuit, but can only be used in later tactical phases if the driver is authorized has 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.
Traffic car
Traffic cars, or Roads Policing Units, are larger, more powerful vehicles that are capable of carrying out tasks such as high-speed pursuits, 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 cars. Common examples include the BMW 330 Diesel, 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 officers 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.
Armed response vehicle
An armed response vehicle of theMetropolitan Police Service
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 area. For this reason ARVs are often powerful or larger cars which can carry large amounts of equipment.Today, the car mainly used is the BMW 5 Series with the Metropolitan Police Service but all other forces use a variety of different vehicle makes. 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 officers.
Motorcycles
A Metropolitan Police BMW R1200RT motorcycle
Motorcycles are used by a number of forces in the UK, typically as part of the Road Policing Unit. 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 Pan-European, and Yamaha FJR1300. The Honda ST1300 Pan-European 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
An LDV Convoy van, in service with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
Police vans, including the Ford Transit 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.
Other vehicles
Terrorist response vehicle of the Metropolitan Police Service, sometimes used in Public order in extreme times such as the August 2011 UK riots
- Dog units: specially adapted to ensure the welfare of the police dogs, including air conditioning
- Mounted units: horse trailers marked in police livery for the transport of police horses
- Vehicle removal lorry: recovery lorry marked in police livery
- Riot truck: various riot control vehicles specially adapted with protective measures, such as windscreen shields
- Command unit
- Mobile custody unit
- Equipment carrier
- Terrorism Response Vehicles
- First aid kit
- Traffic cones
- Fire extinguisher
- Torch
- Blankets
- Shovel
- Broom
- Breath analysis system
- Water Life Jacket
- Speed gun
- Spike strip (within Road Policing Units)
- Teddy bear (some RPUs may carry them to console children after an accident)
- Enforcer, entry gaining device
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 siren. 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 markings that assists aircraft in identifying them. These can include the unique force code, vehicle identifying mark, or police division that the vehicle belongs to.