Police Blue Light Training

[Paul_Black]

I was watching a particular fly-on-the-wall programme this morning and the presenter seemed to take every oppertunity to make a big deal of the skill level of the police drivers. Not that I would dare belittle the training that police officers recieve, it did get me thinking. I noticed that with a little bit of common sense I could mostly tell what the officers were going to do and why in terms of positioning, use of speed etc so I began to wonder: This is all okay while I'm sitting watching, in a sterile environment, munching on some toast but what is it like to be in the situatuion?

So my question is really: how does police driver training go any further after roadcraft and advanced driver training? Is there much stricter emphasis on mental skills to cope with high speeds and high stress or is the emphasis on more sophisticated car control skills to produce the necessary confidence at speed?

[vonhosen]

I was watching a particular fly-on-the-wall programme this morning and the presenter seemed to take every oppertunity to make a big deal of the skill level of the police drivers. Not that I would dare belittle the training that police officers recieve, it did get me thinking. I noticed that with a little bit of common sense I could mostly tell what the officers were going to do and why in terms of positioning, use of speed etc so I began to wonder: This is all okay while I'm sitting watching, in a sterile environment, munching on some toast but what is it like to be in the situatuion?

So my question is really: how does police driver training go any further after roadcraft and advanced driver training? Is there much stricter emphasis on mental skills to cope with high speeds and high stress or is the emphasis on more sophisticated car control skills to produce the necessary confidence at speed?

Have you ever been in a Police car ?

I'm confident that if you have (or did), even as a passenger let alone driver, that the moment the lights & tones went on you'd' feel changes in your body (ie heart rate, anxiety, tension etc etc).

There are of course tactical & technical considerations in the training outside of roadcraft & advanced driving.

[T.C]

As a holder of a Police advanced class 1 car and bike ticket, I can sssure you that the course goes well beyond just knowing and applying "Roadcraft"!

[jcochrane]

I was watching a particular fly-on-the-wall programme this morning and the presenter seemed to take every oppertunity to make a big deal of the skill level of the police drivers. Not that I would dare belittle the training that police officers recieve, it did get me thinking. I noticed that with a little bit of common sense I could mostly tell what the officers were going to do and why in terms of positioning, use of speed etc so I began to wonder: This is all okay while I'm sitting watching, in a sterile environment, munching on some toast but what is it like to be in the situatuion?

So my question is really: how does police driver training go any further after roadcraft and advanced driver training? Is there much stricter emphasis on mental skills to cope with high speeds and high stress or is the emphasis on more sophisticated car control skills to produce the necessary confidence at speed?

Sitting at home watching it on TV does not really compare to the real thing.

Depends on what you mean by "advanced driving". If your talking of IAM, ROADA as advanced then you can't really compare. Comparison is difficult and perhaps not appropriate as the end aims are different requiring a different mental approach/attitude of mind to the drive. Just because someone is an advanced police driver does not make them a great road driver and similarly a great road driver may not make it as an advanced police driver. Different disciplines.

Whether you would feel the body changes that Von refers to would depend on your present experience/training. It depends what you're used to. For example the first time you are taken round a race circuit at race speed will have a profound effect on you unless you already have plenty of track experience.

Unless things have changed, and no doubt Von can confirm or otherwise, advanced techniques such as fixed input, predictive and one handed ice steering would not normally be taught. Nor left foot braking, trail braking or heel and toe. But as I said this may have changed.

I would add that these are just my own thoughts based on my experience of operational advanced police drivers, others' views will no doubt differ from mine.

[playtent]

Whether you would feel the body changes that Von refers to would depend on your present experience/training. It depends what you're used to. For example the first time you are taken round a race circuit at race speed will have a profound effect on you unless you already have plenty of track experience.

I have to say that after 15 years of doing the blue light hustle, I still get the feelings that Von describes. Its mostly about what you are going to, but the getting there is always different. On a race track I found my first couple of track days were very exciting, but after that I lost that feeling and concentrated more on the control and speed.

[jcochrane]

The first few minutes of my first "blues n twos" run was exciting but then I settled into the drive as the driver did nothing that surprised me. I seemed to be on the same wavelength as him, which is more than could be said for the Operator who became somewhat unsettled by one of the overtakes. Emotionally I was detached and focussed on the drive but then I had no interest in the subject of the shout. I was only there to observe the driving.

[Paul_Black]

Nope, I've never been in a police car but I imagined that those kinds of adrenaline-based feelings might be a large part of the difficulties facing police drivers. So basically, the answer is "both".

[WhoseGeneration]

Have you ever been in a Police car ?

I'm confident that if you have (or did), even as a passenger let alone driver, that the moment the lights & tones went on you'd' feel changes in your body (ie heart rate, anxiety, tension etc etc).

There are of course tactical & technical considerations in the training outside of roadcraft & advanced driving.

Hmm, is not the point of training to remove those responses you suggest?
That training should inculcate an intellectual approach.

[vonhosen]

Have you ever been in a Police car ?

I'm confident that if you have (or did), even as a passenger let alone driver, that the moment the lights & tones went on you'd' feel changes in your body (ie heart rate, anxiety, tension etc etc).

There are of course tactical & technical considerations in the training outside of roadcraft & advanced driving.

Hmm, is not the point of training to remove those responses you suggest?
That training should inculcate an intellectual approach.

1) The question was how the Police training differs, do you spend a lot of time on cognitive behavioural models with your associates ?

2) You can't remove the emotions (we are human after all) & you can't effectively/reliably implant values either. You can help people raise their awareness of the emotions (& their effects) & you can help them develop coping strategies for those emotions, as well helping them develop positive values through the way they learn.

3) As said, there are also different tactical approaches in Police driving to 'normal' driving.

[agradeian]

Interesting one, I agree with Von that seeing it on the telly doesn't come close to being in the car on a response run.
Response training is only introduced when the instructor is happy the student has got a good grasp of road craft principles and car control. The first run will be fairly short, 5 mins or so, to allow the student to experience adrenalin and possibly the beginnings of red mist.
They will be taught and will experience, that emergency equipment is not a magic wand and not all road users will react as you would wish them to. Their attitude is carefully monitored and any inappropriate comments will be discussed at the end of each run.
With good hazard anticipation and planning, the student will learn the art of not rushing in and allowing congestion to clear so that they maintain smooth steady progress through traffic.
Subsequent runs will then be to get the student used to early wide positioning (fully offside of the road except at solid white lines) to present themselves to other road users but at the same time allowing them time to react and to assist if possible by moving out of the way, then moving through with care.
Periodic siren changes are made to attract attention on approach to hazards, but each time road craft principles are maintained and legal exemptions (speed limits, red traffic signals and keep left/right bollards) are utilised with great care.

[Zebedee]

Interesting. Would this relate to why there's mixed use/non-use in different parts of the country by Bloodrunners (SERV)?

[Horse]

Interesting. Would this relate to why there's mixed use/non-use in different parts of the country by Bloodrunners (SERV)?

Could be.

FWIW, when I was doing assessments for a BTEC instructor award, the best rider I ever followed was a guy who trained/assessed for the bloodrunners group around Bristol.