Driver Training Policy

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1. Statement of Policy

The Driver Training Unit (DTU) provides prescribed training to officers and staff within Dyfed-Powys Police in accordance with the Police Driving curriculum.

All training will be in accordance with this policy and the associated Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and the responsibility for ensuring consistency of delivery will fall to the Chief Driving Instructor (CDI).

The CDI will ensure that all Police Drivers receive relevant and accurate training by professionally trained and qualified personnel and the training will be delivered by the most effective, economic and efficient means.

This policy and the associated Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) brings together all processes and procedures relating to the delivery of Driver Training within Dyfed-Powys Police and is intended to minimise the risks to staff and other road users to promote the high standard of driving expected by officers and staff of Dyfed-Powys Police.

Applies (but not limited) to: All categories of Dyfed-Powys Police officers and staff, whether full-time, part-time, permanent, fixed term, temporary (including agency staff, associates and contractors), seconded staff and volunteers. Police Officers, staff and volunteers accessing and using Force assets and property must have due regard to the contents of this policy.

2. Policy Scope

In order to strive for continued improvement, there is a requirement to continually conduct performance assessments as follows:-

Ensuring training is focused to meet both current and foreseeable operational needs in accordance with the Force’s Driving Strategic Threat and Risk Assessment (STRA) as directed by the Chief Officer portfolio holder.
Challenging its own design and delivery of all training by continuous evaluation.
Regularly comparing training methods and practices with other DTU’s from other Police Forces. This will also act as a benchmark to evaluate our own performance.
Attending regional and national Driver training managers meetings when held.
Conducting structured debriefing of students / stakeholders following delivery of all training, to obtain feedback and evaluate accordingly, thereby aiding continuous development.

Dyfed-Powys Police Officers, Special Constables, Police Community Support Officers and any member of Police Staff who may be required to drive vehicles in the course of their duties, or employment must be authorised to drive the relevant categories of vehicles in accordance with this policy and the associated SOP.

3. Powers and Policy/Legal Requirements

This policy and the associated SOP is developed in line with the National Standards and programme specification as set by the College of Policing.

Police Driving Programme
Assessment Requirements for Police Driving

The development and maintenance of police driving-related curricula and supporting resources is the responsibility of the College of Policing, with support from the national Police Driving Strategic Group, (chaired by the NPCC police driving lead) and the Police Driving Practitioner Group.

This Policy and the associated SOP supports the following Dyfed-Powys Police Policies:

Roads Policing – Strategic Threat and Risk
Driver Training, Specialist Operations

The delivery and development of all driver training will be undertaken in accordance with: -

Authorised Professional Practice (APP)- Roads Policing - Police Driving
Police Driving Programme Specification
Police Driving Assessment Strategy.
Dyfed Powys Police force policies and procedures.
College of policing quality assurance/ licensing requirements.
Roadcraft: The Police Driver’s Handbook.
Codes of Practice and the Code of Ethics
The Highway Code

Legislation

The Road Traffic Act (RTA) 1988
The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (amendment to RTA 1988)

This policy and the associated SOP should be read in conjunction with the above documents and guidelines, together with the DTU training packages inclusive of lesson plans, risk assessments and safety briefings.

4. Options and Contingencies

Roles and Responsibilities

In line with the current Police Driving Programme, Dyfed-Powys Police will maintain three levels of driving authorisation – Basic, Response and Advanced.

For the purpose of maintaining the standards of Driver Training within Dyfed-Powys Police the portfolio holder, the NPCC lead for Driver Training within force currently sits at Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) level. The ACC will own the risk with the expectation that the Chief Driving Instructor (C.D.I.) and the Deputy Chief Driving Instructor (D.C.D.I) will manage the risk. The C.D.I. or in their absence the D.C.D.I. is the Driver Training SPOC and will report directly to the portfolio holder.

Driver Training Unit

The Driver Training Unit (DTU) is responsible for the delivery of police driver training in accordance with the Police Driving Programme. All Police DTU’s will be required to be licenced by the College of Policing to deliver prescribed driver training.

A DTU must have a minimum of a CDI and two PDIs (including a Deputy CDI).

Chief driving instructor (CDI) – manages the delivery of police driver training and compliance with the College of Policing licensing process. Must meet the College of Policing Standard for Trainers.
Deputy chief driving instructor (DCDI) – deputises for the CDI in matters relating to the delivery of police driver training and compliance with the College of Policing licensing process. Must meet the College of Policing Standard for Trainers.

Dyfed-Powys Police will adhere to the Police Driving Programme Specification and Assessment Strategy in relation to DTU Staff. Dyfed-Powys Police will ensure both CDI and DCDI are IQA trained, and they will be responsible for checking the compliance of each course with the curricula.

DTU Staff (Instructors)

All Driving Instructors (P.D.I's) will hold an Advanced Driving Qualification and undergo refresher training as per Appendix A of the College of Policing Assessment Requirements.

Trainers must be occupationally/operationally competent for any course they are to teach.

Only Advanced Trained Instructors will deliver specialist courses where there is a requirement to deliver such training in an advanced category vehicle.

Officers and Staff (Learners) and DTU Staff

All learners and DTU staff must ensure they conduct themselves with the utmost professionalism. Both learners and DTU staff must always act in accordance with the Code of Ethics for all police officers and staff. All personnel have an obligation to challenge inappropriate behaviour.

Learners attending training must inform the PDI of any circumstance which may affect concentration during the course and ensure that they are fit to undertake training. Equally, this involves any physical or psychological condition which may be detrimental to the individual during training. No person is permitted to drive whilst unfit in any manner to do so.

It is the responsibility of all officers and staff to ensure that their driving licence is valid. To meet this responsibility, the force requires that police officers and staff permit their licence to be viewed at any time, as appropriate to the circumstances. This will include providing a copy of their driving licence prior to attending any driver training course.

The Code of Ethics principles are relevant to this policy and the associated SOP -

Courage
Respect and Empathy
Public Service

5. Take action and review

This policy and the associated SOP will be monitored and reviewed on an annual basis to ensure that it is fit for purpose, to address any challenges made to the policy or the SOP and in line with national guidance and any updates or requirements from the College of Policing.

The Chief Driving Instructor will be responsible for the review and the implementation of any required amendments/additions. This policy and the associated SOP will be overseen by the Operational Policing Board.

CODE OF ETHICS CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

This policy has been drafted in accordance with the Code of Ethics and has been reviewed on the basis of its content and the supporting evidence and it is deemed compliant with that Code and the principles underpinning it.

HUMAN RIGHTS ACT CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

This policy has been drafted in accordance with the Human Rights Act and has been reviewed on the basis of its content and the supporting evidence and it is deemed compliant with that Act and the principles underpinning it.

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Section 4 of the Equality Act 2010 sets out the protected characteristics that qualify for protection under the Act as follows: Age; Disability; Gender Reassignment; Marriage and Civil Partnership; Pregnancy and Maternity; Race; Religion or Belief; Sex; Sexual Orientation.

The public sector equality duty places a proactive legal requirement on public bodies to have regard, in the exercise of their functions, to the need to:

eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and any other conduct that is unlawful under the Act;
advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it;
foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.

The equality duty applies to all protected characteristics with the exception of Marriage and Civil Partnership, to which only the duty to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination applies.

Carrying out an equality impact assessment involves systematically assessing the likely or actual effects of policies on people in respect of all the protected characteristics set out above. An equality impact assessment should be carried out on any policy that is relevant to the public sector equality duty.

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT COMPLETED: Mawrth 2026