Police write off patrol cars

Police in Kent have written off 12 patrol cars in crashes within a year, according to data released under the Freedom of Information Act.

The smashes have left the force with a £69,990 repair bill and resulted in six personal injury claims.

The most expensive vehicle deemed ‘beyond economic repair’, in the year to April, was a BMW 5-series.

Compensation to members of the public hurt in the accidents totalled £19,700.

Incidents can involve crashes and fires, but also cars written off by tactical stops, which involves a patrol car driving into an offender’s vehicle to try to bring it to a stop.

The force says despite the figures, its officers receive the highest standards of training and all crashes are thoroughly investigated.

A spokesman added: “High standards of driving promotes public confidence, enhances good drive behaviour, makes better use of resources and aims to reduce injuries and costs associated with collisions.”

In 2007 the Independent Police Complaints Commission asked forces to put black boxes in their motors to help investigate accidents. nington, one of the organisers, said: “We are a new fundraising group in the area, having only been running for just over a year. Originally we set up to raise funds for the victims of the Nepal earthquake as some of our families and friends come from there.

“However this year we wanted to support a charity that is vital to the local community. The work Pilgrims Hospices does to support those is need of their care is second to none and we wanted to help contribute to this.”

Pilgrims Hospice ambassador Suzanne Lepper, who attended the evening , said: “It was a wonderful evening, a real family occasion. On behalf of Pilgrims I was able to say a huge thank you to everyone who came.

Anyone interested in staging a fundraiser in aid of Pilgrims should call the Ashford fundraising office on 01233 504111

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