Collision following pursuit - Staffordshire Police, October 2018

On 18 October 2018 Staffordshire Police, acting on intelligence received, attempted to apprehend a suspected violent offender driving a stolen car. The offender failed to stop for police and officers initiated a pursuit. After the pursuit had been aborted when the pursued car drove into oncoming traffic at high speed, the offender’s car collided with a member of the public, causing them serious injury.

Our investigators reviewed airwave audio recordings, body-worn video taken from the pursuing officers, as well as dash-cam footage and audio taken from all of the police vehicles. They also obtained accounts from every officer involved in the pursuit.

Based on the evidence available, we were satisfied that Staffordshire Police officers acted in accordance with policy and procedure in planning and carrying out an operation to apprehend a known offender. Evidence indicated that, at the time of the collision, all police officers had been ordered to discontinue the pursuit by the Force Control Room and had taken steps to comply with this. The collision occurred almost immediately after this instruction.

We considered that all Staffordshire Police officers appeared to act in accordance with national guidance and policy when conducting the pursuit, and that their actions and decisions did not cause, or contribute to, the injuries sustained by the member of the public.

Based on the evidence available we found no indication that any person serving with the police may have behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings, or had committed a criminal offence.

We completed our investigation at the end of October 2018.