Police Officers protecting their careers by calling ambulances

POLICE and Independent Office for Police Conduct protocol is behind suggestions that officers are more likely to call an ambulance for people with ‘cuts and bruises’, Essex Police Federation has said.

“We have a number of incidences where our policy dictates that we must call an ambulance to protect the organisation and where it can, the individual,” said Steve Taylor Essex Police Federation Chairman.

The Association of Ambulance Chief Executives told the National Police Chiefs’ Council and Association of Police and Crime Commissioners annual summit that officers are twice as likely as the general public to call an ambulance for an incident involving minor injuries because they are so concerned about misconduct investigations by the IOPC.

Chairman Mike Boyne also suggested that officers may have to wait with people they are calling an ambulance for, as ‘cuts and bruises’ would be triaged by call handlers, meaning they could be delayed getting to other jobs.

“And that ultimately is fuelled by complaint. That might be a litigious complaint against an officer or a professional complaint in terms of the IOPC.

“I can understand the question about being risk averse when it comes to looking for support from the ambulance service.

“But equally, we’re not afraid to up sticks with casualties and take them to hospital ourselves if needed.

“Ultimately what we’d love to see an adequately provisioned ambulance service and we’d love to see an adequately provisioned mental health service. We’re all struggling,” he added.