Road traffic collision following police pursuit – Metropolitan Police Service, November 2019
In November 2019, two police officers were in an unmarked police car when they noticed a car entering a roundabout without taking notice of other vehicles. They activated sirens and commenced a pursuit. On the exit of a roundabout the car undertook a van. The driver of the van became aware of police presence behind him and manoeuvred to his left to make way for them to pass. Subsequently the car and the van collided. The car mounted the side …
Recommendations
2 totalThe IOPC recommends that the Metropolitan Police Service update their Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) training package to include information about the fault caused when the internal battery fails on the Cleartone system. The training should ensure officers are able to recognise when the system is faulty and make it clear that this fault results in a failure to record footage in a retrievable way. This follows an IOPC investigation where the IOPC was unable to retrieve vital footage from the Cleartone unit in the police vehicle. A battery fault in the unit prevented the date and time from being recorded correctly. This meant that the footage was not retrievable for considerable time in spite of the efforts of the MPS and the manufacturer. In the MPS, officers have a duty to report such faults to their supervisor but the IOPC found that the relevant training package contained no reference to battery failures or the fact that such failures render the footage irretrievable. Officers are therefore unaware that such a fault exists and cannot report it. Do you accept the recommendation? Yes
Accepted action: The MPS has reviewed and accepts the recommendation provided by the IOPC in relation to updating the ANPR training package as described. The current training package on the use of the Cleartone ANPR system is dated and is in the process of being reviewed to reflect the changes needed. The MPS Intelligence Unit (MO2) has engaged with the MPS Learning and Development Unit responsible for updating the Cleartone National Centre for Applied Learning Technologies (NCALT) package, and ensured that a suitable warning will be incorporated into the new package when it is delivered this year. In the interim, MO2 Central ANPR Team has implemented a warning that has been added to the introduction of the training presentation, highlighting the issue and providing the user with instructions if the fault is identified. This reads as follows: During a recent IOPC Investigation it has been noted that there are sometimes issues where the battery fails within the system and therefore does not record the correct date and time. The date and time are visible on the unit in the top left corner and can also be viewed and corrected on the “Settings Page” when using ANPR. This must be checked prior to taking the vehicle out. MPS Policy states‘Any vehicle fitted with ANPR/Video it is the responsibility of the driver to ensure all the camera are operational before taking the vehicle out for patrol unless the vehicle is required urgently elsewhere. Any defects in the video recording system should be reported to a supervisor before taking the vehicle on patrol and recorded in the log book. Vehicles can remain in service with the supervisor’s permission and recorded in the officer’s pocket book’ .
The IOPC recommends that an update should be sent as soon as possible, to all Metropolitan Police Service vehicle users to advise of the new potential fault within the Cleartone system, whereby the internal battery fails. This should indicate the fault can lead to a failure to record or store footage, which can be recognised by the display of the incorrect time and date on the screen. This follows an IOPC investigation where the IOPC was unable to retrieve vital footage from the Cleartone unit in the police vehicle. A battery fault in the unit prevented the date and time from being recorded correctly. This meant that the footage was not retrievable for considerable time in spite of the efforts of the MPS and the manufacturer. In the MPS, officers have a duty to report such faults to their supervisor but the IOPC found that the relevant training package contained no reference to battery failures or the fact that such failures render the footage irretrievable. Officers are therefore unaware that such a fault exists and cannot report it. Whilst it may not be possible to update the training immediately or roll it out to all vehicle users in a short timeframe, this fault does need to be identified to all relevant users as soon as possible, as this has already been identified in multiple vehicles involved in criminal and IOPC investigations. The IOPC have been advised that all the internal batteries have been replaced, however as these as with the same type of battery, there is a potential for the fault to reoccur and it cannot be confirmed if or when this could happen. Do you accept the recommendation? Yes
Accepted action: The MPS has reviewed and accepts the recommendation provided by the IOPC in relation to advising all Cleartone users of the potential fault within the system. On 30th November 2020, MPS Digital Policing sent an e-mail to all MPS ANPR vehicle users advising them that there is a potential fault with the Cleartone system whereby the internal battery fails. Instructions on what to do when the fault has been identified were included.