Police unable to offer support during ambulance strikes due to existing demands, says NPCC
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) says officers will be unable to support the ambulance service during the forthcoming industrial action due to the “ever-growing demands” on policing.
The ambulance service is understood to have asked for support with police officers driving ambulances during the planned staff strike.
But the NPCC said policing is not able to do this due to “existing demands”.
Assistant Chief Constable Owen Weatherill, National Mobilisation coordinator, said: “Policing must ensure it can deliver its own core business. Police officers already deal with issues from existing ambulance attendance times, often related to mental health incidents.
“For officers to drive an ambulance, they need to have a specific driving qualification, which many within policing do not hold.
“If officers do hold this, it means they also have a qualification to drive police vehicles needed for dealing with public order incidents and are needed by forces.
“Preservation of life will always be policing’s number one priority and that has not changed.
“Policing is often seen as the service of last resort, but chiefs must make decisions balancing ever-growing demands.
“The demands on policing are significant and it is vital that we deliver our own priorities to protect the public and catch criminals first.”