Unmarked police cars are a vital part of keeping roads safe, including motorways, according to West Mercia’s police and crime commissioner.
John Campion said there is a “bubble of lawfulness” around marked cars that doesn’t exist elsewhere.
He was speaking at a meeting of the West Mercia Police and Crime Panel, which took place at Pershore Civic Centre on Friday, July 10.
COMMISSIONER: John Campion said there is a ‘bubble of lawfulness’ around police cars (Image: Phil Wilkinson-Jones/LDRS)
Councillor Peter Huseman asked about “numerous unmarked police vehicles” being spotted on the region’s motorways.
“Should these be converted into marked vehicles to increase visibility and so [for] prevention rather than for speed enforcement, which I suspect is their primary role?” he said.
READ MORE: Ex-West Mercia police chief’s warning over force merger
Mr Campion said: “The predominance of our police fleet is marked – it’s the bread and butter of what the police do, but an unmarked [vehicle], particularly on the roadside, is an effective part of what we are trying to do, which is to tackle behaviour which isn’t just speed.
“It would be naive and incorrect to suggest it is just about speed.
VEHICLE: A marked West Mercia Police car (Image: West Mercia Police)
“If you’re using your mobile phone while going down the M54 and a marked police car comes past you’re likely to put it down.
“If an unmarked police car comes past you’re not necessarily likely to put it down.
“Having travelled in many marked police cars and many unmarked police cars, I can assure you there is a bubble of lawfulness often around a marked police car that isn’t there when you’re in an unmarked one.
“That is what we see everyday isn’t it, as motorists? I think they’re vital, but they represent an incredibly small part of West Mercia Police.”
Hundreds of violent crimes are going unpunished in Worcester
Two railway crossings to remain closed for another two years
Controversial waste plant gets go-ahead despite smell and traffic concerns
Mr Campion said he was driving away from Whitchurch one summer’s evening when a biker did a wheelie and “dropped its wheel literally on the side of my vehicle, and I tutted to myself as commissioner, ‘there’s never a cop round when you want one’.
“Another bike comes past, I think ‘is that an unmarked bike? I don’t recognise it as one of West Mercia’s’.
“Next thing, the blues come on and there’s an intervention with that rider.
“That rider that day had an intervention because of an unmarked fleet so I think they’re a great tool and West Mercia gets it right at the moment.”
