Police told to review guidelines on chasing motorcycles

Police should not pursue motorcycles unless a serious crime has been committed, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has said.

In a report on police road traffic incidents involving serious and fatal injuries, the IPCC said officers were failing to follow existing guidelines on pursuits set out by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).

It said: ‘ACPO should revise its guidelines to state that pursuits of motorcycles or other ‘powered two-wheel vehicles’ should not occur unless a serious crime has been committed.’

It said the guidance should also define what is meant by a serious crime. Where pursuit was necessary for public safety, ‘police force helicopters should be deployed at the earliest opportunity to take over the pursuit,’ it said.

The report also recommended ACPO contact individual forces to establish whether they are following guidelines.

Read the IPCC report here