PW_4_2023

Professional Development

Policing the Autobahn Josh Preston , Norfolk & Suffolk Branch

My role on Norfolk’s Road Policing Team involves dealing with serious and fatal collisions. When collisions happen on fast roads, they create a large build-up of congestion. A two hour closure can cost the economy £135,360, so it is vital to reduce this time whenever possible. A n obvious choice of country to gain a different perspective was Germany, due to their vast Autobahn network. I They had four double crewed traffic cars for the city, whose primary focus is the Autobahn. The RTC I attended involved a high speed shunt from the rear. A doctor was flown on the Air Ambulance, for possession of Cannabis, their identity and address are confirmed. They are asked if they have anything to say about the offence, and then reported directly to court, where they can argue their case with the judge.

looked to see what else the trip could offer for my role on Operation Foxtail, which deals with the use of fraudulent driving licences. Germany has many nationalities passing through it, so I was interested to see how they deal with foreign and counterfeit driving licences. I took my proposal to an IPA meeting, and was given help with travel costs. The IPA put me in touch with a German Police officer, Jonas Kiessling, who spoke fantastic English. Jonas organised two shifts on Highway Patrol, and time with Response, CID, Marine unit and counterfeit departments. I stayed at Jonas’ father’s house, who is also a serving police officer. I was made to feel extremely welcome by Jonas and his family. I patrolled with two highway patrol officers, who cover the A3 and A5 ring road around Frankfurt. They can travel from one side to the other in just over 10 minutes. One of my first observations is that, around the city, there was a speed limit of 75 mph. I was told this is due to the on and off slips, so the speed limit is capped. The Autobahn has sensors on the road, which monitor the number of the vehicles and adjust the speed limit with a variable system, similar to UK motorways. A common misconception of Germany’s roads is that you can go as fast as you like on all roads. Only some are still unrestricted, with Police vehicles routinely reaching 155 mph. It wasn’t long before we were deployed to a collision on the A3. On arrival it was very similar to the UK, we blocked off the road so we could assess the causalities and preserve evidence. All Police in Germany are double crewed and armed.

which landed on the road to triage the driver, before transport to hospital. The doctor was on scene within 10 minutes of the collision. Ample resources from police, fire and ambulance, meant the Autobahn was shut for just 40 minutes. Luckily the collision was captured on the Autobahn camera, as dash cameras in Germany are rare. I learnt that dash cameras are technically illegal in Germany, due to data protection laws. Footage can’t be used in court, because you can’t film anybody without their permission. CCTV has only been active in Frankfurt for two years, and was only introduced due to a high rate of thefts and robberies. ANPR cameras are not common in Germany. They can only be found at international borders. German officers were astounded that we could track cars, and be alerted to stolen vehicles if they drive past patrol cars with ANPR fitted. A feature they all wished they could have. I spent Day two at Rhineland-Palatinate police station. Firstly, visiting CID, who unlike the UK, pick up all crime encountered by response officers. The investigation process for serious offences is similar to the UK, but differs for lower level offences. Once a person is stopped, eg

At Frankfurt’s HQ, I visited the fraudulent document department, which interested me because of Operation Foxtail. I was shown new techniques for spotting counterfeit documents. I will certainly use these skills in Norfolk. In Germany, all officers have at least three weeks training to spot counterfeit documents, with others attending an enhanced course. They have access to EUCARIS, which allows them to check documents at the roadside, and see other countries databases. I formed new professional relationships with the document team in Frankfurt, who offered help and advice in the future. On the final working day, I was back with highway patrol in Frankfurt. I saw how they deal with traffic offences, including a driver who was caught using his phone whilst driving. A penalty of 130 euros was taken from him directly at roadside. This once in a lifetime trip, was made easier by the IPA, both financially and in arranging contact with Jonas. I was supported by Norfolk Constabulary with three days paid leave.

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POLICE WORLD Vol 68 No.4, 2023