Shortage of trained response drivers in PSNI ‘impacting on service delivery’

Concerns have been expressed about a shortage of trained response drivers for police vehicles within the PSNI.

A Policing Board meeting was told the situation had been ongoing for several years and had led to concerns for the wellbeing of officers who had to drive long distances over long hours in full body armour.

Ulster Unionist board member Mike Nesbitt raised the issue, stating it appeared to be having a “significant impact” on service delivery.

He said: “With regard to officers who are not cleared or trained to drive police vehicles, specifically to drive them with sirens and blue lights in pursuit mode.

“It appears to have been going on from before Covid, a number of years, and yet I have yet to meet a single member of this board or a single member of the staff of the board who has been made aware of the problem by the PSNI.

“Is that appropriate not to brief the board when you have an issue of this magnitude?”

PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne said the police force defined itself by being as open as it could.

He said: “It is an issue we are trying to deal with. Partly it was caused initially by lack of driving instructors, pre-Covid.

“Then Covid reduced the number of people we could put in a vehicle.

“We have tried to put a number of mitigations in.”

Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton added: “You are highlighting an issue which would be chief amongst the concerns of front-line response officers.

“It is a major frustration for them.

“It is as a result of some previous cutbacks we had to make in response to a previous period of austerity.

“It’s very much a live issue for us.

“We are developing a plan to address that backlog and get as many response drivers back out in the sections as we possibly can.”

Mr Nesbitt asked: “Is one of the consequences that some response drivers are driving more hours and more miles than you would wish?”

Mr Singleton said: “That is absolutely right and it is something we are concerned about in terms of officer welfare and wellbeing.

“In our more rural areas we are seeing officers having to drive significant distances, obviously in full protective body armour, which adds additional pressures and stresses to them.

“It is a situation we are not happy with and we want to address as soon as possible.”