Speed limit for police officers responding to 999 calls is labelled 'insane'

12 August 2023 , 21:14

635     0

One former Met officer said any proposal to cut police speed limits would be 'insane' (Image: Getty Images)

A police watchdog is under fire after asking the Met to ­consider slapping a speed limit on officers responding to 999 calls.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct asked Britain’s biggest force to act after a PC who was clocked driving at 83.7mph struck and killed a pedestrian in 2021. Nadeem Patel, 28, mowed down nail technician Shante Daniel-Folkes, 25, in a 30mph zone in South London while answering an emergency call. He was this week jailed for three years.

Officers on 999 calls are currently exempt from speed limits but the watchdog will now make a “formal learning recommendation” to the Met on a speed-cap policy. The judge in the Old Bailey case, Mark Lucraft KC, has also called for a review and Shante’s grieving mother, Janine Daniel, urged the watchdog to act to end the “anything goes” rule. But one former senior Met officer branded the proposal “insane” and said it would likely prove unworkable

Shante Daniel-Folkes, 25, of West Norwood, was killed when she was hit by the police car (Facebook)

Ex-Det Ch Insp Peter Kirkham, said: “Tragedies will always happen. Whatever would be brought in would not stop the tragedies anyway. The officer has been dealt with by the courts and will be in prison for several years. That shows there is a system in place.”

Tory MP Nigel Mills also said the rules should not change because of one “sad and shocking” case. He added: “We need the police to be able to chase criminals and go after bad people. The last thing we need is to make their jobs harder.”

Girl, 4, killed by dog in Milton Keynes attack to be mourned at community vigil

CCTV shows the car before impact which was travelling at 83.7mph

Shante was killed while crossing the street in Brixton late at night in June 2021. She had been narrowly missed by one marked police car driven by PC Gary Thomson, but then was struck by PC Patel’s car, which was following close behind.

PC Patel admitted causing death by dangerous driving. PC Thomson was fined £500 at the same hearing after pleading guilty to careless driving. PC Patel was dismissed from the Met in May and PC Thomson now faces a gross misconduct charge in relation to his driving that night.

Shante's mum said the current rules of 'anything goes' was madness (Facebook)

Shante’s mum Janine said: “I fully support a limit. Currently, anything goes for the police. “My daughter was killed by someone doing 80mph in a built-up area. That is madness.”

Isaac Crowson