Driver Training

Following adoption of College of Policing licensing within Armed Policing (AP), demand has increased for Advanced Driver training from approximately 40 spaces per year to a current list of 350 officers requiring training. In addition, a further 470 officers now require Pursuit Management training. This is over and above the normal BAU training demands from the Armed Policing, Road Policing and Specialist Crime business areas.

Additionally, the current demand for Standard Response Driving is 531 SCOPE documented demand). It is assessed, however, that the true figure is approximately 2000-3000 due to course criteria requirements.

Furthermore, to comply with legislation, each Standard Response trained officer must undertake a 1-day High Speed Driving Assessment every 5 years. This equates to 1985 officers currently requiring this training per year.

Both Advanced and Standard Response driving have been highlighted as critical training needs at the organisational Health & Safety Board and this issue is regularly raised by the Scottish Police Federation, as well as Divisional Commanders.

In November 2024, HMICS published a ‘Thematic inspection of road policing in Scotland’. This acknowledged that specialist training available to Road Policing Officers was of the highest standard however, acknowledged the ‘considerable’ backlog of officers requiring training. Recommendations included taking urgent steps to address the backlog in specialist driver training.

A bid for additional Driving Instructors was approved recently through the Revenue Investment Group to recruit 7 Instructors up to 31st March 2026. There were 5 successful candidates, but all will require a minimum of 8 weeks training prior to course delivery and will only provide training in delivery of Standard Response Driving.

Further options are currently being developed to resolve this position.