Norfolk and Suffolk police have refused to reveal if any of their patrol cars have issues with their engines meaning they cannot be used in high-speed pursuits.
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The two constabularies declined to comment when asked if any vehicles were affected by a fault that means police forces have been told not to exceed the speed limit in patrol cars fitted with BMW N57 engines.
The issue was first reported by The Northern Echo after a whistleblower revealed a ‘no pursuit policy’ has been introduced on Durham traffic and firearms officers using affected BMW vehicles.
The directive, which is said to ban pursuits and responses to incidents over the speed limit unless there is an immediate threat to life, was implemented after PC Nick Dumphreys died when a BMW police vehicle caught fire during a 999 call in Cumbria in 2020.
In December a BMW police car caught fire on the A11 in Norfolk, though a reason for it happening has not been revealed.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council is investigating and working with forces to identify any issues with vehicles.
Lead on police driving, Deputy Chief Constable Terry Woods, said: “We are aware there may be an issue with some older vehicles in our fleet and we are taking urgent steps to ensure this is addressed, including offering guidance to forces.
“Chiefs are working with the National Association of Police Fleet Managers to examine any risks.
“Our priority at this time is to ensure the safety and the long-term integrity of the equipment our officers use.”
Responsibility for the police vehicle fleet is jointly shared by Norfolk and Suffolk.
Both declined to add anything further to the statement of the NPCC when asked if it had identified any affected vehicles amongst its active fleet, and if so, what action was being taken to address the issues.
However a freedom of information request last April revealed both forces had both marked and unmarked BMW patrol cars, with 34 in Norfolk and 47 in Suffolk.
BMW hasn’t revealed the exact nature of the problem, but claims that it’s only an issue for the police due to the way in which forces operate their vehicles and should therefore not be of concern to most consumers.
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