Police Advanced Training - UK Style

Since the recent post on US police 'Motorcops' training, now seems to be a good time to remind you of my article:

The History of Advanced Rider Training in the U.K.
An abridged version of the paper presented at the 1996 FIM Symposium on post-test training.

HIGH STANDARD/FURTHER TRAINING IN THE UK

INTRODUCTION
During this presentation I intend to explain the origins of rider training in Great Britain and show the variety of courses that are available for the full-licence holder.

ORIGINS OF UK TRAINING & THE 'SYSTEM'
Great Britain can lay claim to have originated formal high-standard rider training courses and then spread this training method around the world. Mainly this happened through the Commonwealth countries, but several other countries have had riders trained with these courses.

This training, developed for the British Metropolitan Police at the Peel Training Centre, Hendon, London, is known as 'The Police System of Motor Vehicle Control' and is described in the 'Roadcraft' manual, upon which almost all British training, at all skill levels, is based,

In 1934 the accident rate for London's Police drivers was 1 in every 8000 miles. The Police commissioner asked the noted racing driver and World Speed Record holder Sir Malcolm Campbell to test Police drivers. He found high standard driving but a lack of special training facilities, so a Police Driving School was formed. The first basic course started on 7th January 1935, with an advanced course for 'flying squad' and traffic officers following later.

The 'Advanced' course was based on principles laid down by another top racing driver the Earl of Cottenham:
'Applying basic driving skills to the Police need for maintaining rapid progress in all traffic conditions with the driver always in complete control.'
After just four years the accident rate had reduced to 1 in 22000 miles.

The Motorcycle Wing was formed in 1938, and other Police forces around the UK subsequently formed their own driving schools.

More




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