Complaints against officers

[Fedster + 1,307]

Road traffic officers have been urged to check whether life-saving equipment is working after an IOPC investigation.

Date - 4th February 2020
By - Chris Smith

The Independent Office for Police Conduct has said forces should review the training and equipment needed by traffic officers to break vehicle windows in an emergency.

It follows an investigation into a road traffic incident in which the officer attending had to resort to using their baton to break a window to reach the occupants of car who later died.

The car in which Robert and Shirley Wigzell was travelling was hit by a van which was being pursued by Metropolitan Police officers. An officer used a life hammer – the small pointed devices used to break glass – on the Wigzell’s car window but it failed because the vehicle had laminated windows. The officer then used his baton to gain entry to the vehicle.

A pathologist found no evidence to indicate the delay in getting into the Wigzell’s car contributed to their death.

The IOPC called on the National Police Chiefs’ Council to review the use of life hammers and ensure they are replaced when worn out.

The NPCC and Metropolitan Police have accepted learning recommendations including replacement of the devices which become blunt and ineffective over time.

The IOPC also recommended officers are given training on using the hammers and for police forces to consider procuring equipment that officers can use to break all kinds of windows, including laminated ones.

Side windows are increasingly being laminated by manufacturers as a security or styling feature. Traditional tempered glass is easier to break – one method is to use the headrest from a car seat in an emergency.

The IOPC said in a statement: “The NPCC will now write to all Chief Constables in England and Wales advising them to consider our recommendations. We made the same recommendations to the MPS which accepted one learning recommendation concerning officer training on life hammers.”

Regional Director Sal Naseem added: “Our investigation concluded officers acted appropriately during the pursuit and made every attempt to assist Mr and Mrs Wigzell at the scene.

“As part of our investigation, we identified, on a national level, there was an absence of guidance surrounding the use of life hammers, specifically in relation to officer training and replacing the kit when they become ineffective.”

View On Police Oracle

[skydiver + 1,099]

Is it me or is it really the case that the IOPC have to try to find something to say even in situations where nothing would have changed the outcome?  In this RTC the glass hammer was broken so the office switched to his baton which presumably was on their belt or PPE and therefore instantly available, meaning that the window could be broken and making no difference at all to the outcome.  Their recommendation is therefore almost completely pointless.  I also am wondering why the the IOPC became involved in the first place as it seems like a simple situation. RTC happens, police attend, police try to break window to rescue the driver, first attempt fails, second succeeds but the driver dies.  The coroner finds that the police response made no difference yet the IOPC still got involved in in its desperation to find something wrong it recommends different glass hammers!  Maybe it takes them up to 7 years to conclude other investigations as they are so desperate to find fault in situations such as this one.

[TheMoo 66]

I'm going to make myself unpopular, and say that in some respects, they have a point. 

Without wanting to go into too much technical detail (but I will if asked), laminated glass will not fracture in the same way as tempered glass. The sharpness of the hammer wouldn't really change that, but one thing identified there is that laminated side windows are becoming more common. It doesn't say how effective the baton was, only that he got through (eventually), but it may be that alternative tooling needs to be looked at to reflect this change - for the time when it might make a difference to the outcome. 

[SimonT + 1,185]

From my limited Internet searches, it appears that getting through laminated safety glass on cars is pretty difficult and to do it quickly and safely requires some hefty kit. 

I'm sure it would be lovely to be tooled up for every eventuality, but there has to be a limit. Our response trams go to more crashes than traffic, simply because of numbers. Do they get this kit too? And the training? 

I have gone through laminated glass before, with a crowbar and a lot of effort. 

[TheMoo 66]

1 hour ago, SimonT said:

From my limited Internet searches, it appears that getting through laminated safety glass on cars is pretty difficult and to do it quickly and safely requires some hefty kit. 

I'm sure it would be lovely to be tooled up for every eventuality, but there has to be a limit. Our response trams go to more crashes than traffic, simply because of numbers. Do they get this kit too? And the training? 

I have gone through laminated glass before, with a crowbar and a lot of effort. 

I thought this was the case, and I went back to check - the case of the Met officer stuck on for using a lock knife was cutting through the windscreen using the saw on a pocket knife (after first using the baton to smash the glass). IIRC, fire crews use a saw for windscreen glass, but they also pour water to keep the glass dust from becoming airborne. 

I wouldn't expect laminated glass on side windows to be as thick/heavy (strong) as the windscreen, because it doesn't need to be; and if they were, the window motors would struggle. So it is potentially an option? 

That being said, I don't know how wide-spread these windows are becoming. I thought it was just a RR and Bentley thing - I don't know if more manufacturers are adopting it? 

[BlueBob + 690]

Laughable if it wasn’t so serious.  I never realised the life hammers are used so much that they get “worn out”

laminated glass, AfAIK, is limited to the front windscreen.for vehicles with safety glass (small cubes when shattered) to the side and rear. Anyone whose seen a w/screen cut by the brigade knows the specialist kit needed.  
 

[Billy Blue Tac 170]

16 hours ago, skydiver said:

 ...I also am wondering why the the IOPC became involved in the first place as it seems like a simple situation. RTC happens, police attend...

Death during a pursuit is an automatic referral to IOPC

18 hours ago, Fedster said:

The car in which Robert and Shirley Wigzell was travelling was hit by a van which was being pursued by Metropolitan Police officers.

 

[skydiver + 1,099]

14 minutes ago, Billy Blue Tac said:

Death during a pursuit is an automatic referral to IOPC

 

Thanks Billy.

[Zulu 22 + 4,569]

With some it may be an issue of correct use. It is of little effect if the centre of the window is struck as that is the biggest point of elasticity in the screen. The close to the edge of the screen where it is more rigid and fragile the more success.