New police welfare van launched for major incidents
A kitted-out van to help police officers deployed to major incidents in the West Midlands has come into service.
The new ‘welfare’ van – named Teapot 1 – has been modified by a specialist vehicle conversion company.
It has a toilet, fridge, microwave, sink, boiling water dispenser, a table and seating for four and a retractable canopy.
At a typical big event or incident between 18 and 24 officers could be
deployed, but they are often left without any facilities.
The van is a joint initiative between the West Midlands Police Federation and the West Midlands Police force and is ready for immediate use. It will be used at major incidents as well as pre-planned events such as this summer’s Commonwealth Games.
Chris James, West Midlands Police Federation deputy secretary, said: “We are delighted that the welfare van is now fully up and running. It will provide great facilities for officers and we are looking forward to seeing members take advantage of what’s on offer.
“There were too many occasions when officers found themselves with no access to a toilet, nowhere to take refreshments, and nowhere to wash their hands. This is a project I have been working on for three years so it is nice to see it finally become a reality.
“I proposed the procurement of a welfare van after carrying out a survey of crime scenes over a period of 12 months and found that between 18 and 24 officers attending the average scene were going without basic facilities. we are delighted the van is now up and running and we are looking forward to seeing it put to good use.”
Mr James said he expected there to be ‘‘big demand’’ for the new van, which may then lead to more vans of its type being introduced to help police.