Role of an area car

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.025420

I note you seek access to the following information:

I would like to receive information on the role of an Area Car.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Area Cars are specific high performance marked vehicles assigned to Borough Command Units. They are driven by highly trained Advanced Drivers, many of whom are additionally trained in Tactical Pursuit and Containment (TPAC).

Their roles include but are not limited to the following:

• Pursuit capability, including Tactical Resolution options.
• Immediate Response Call capability.
• Provide ‘fast road’ (40mph+ roads) response to incidents on such roads, e.g. road traffic collisions, vulnerable persons on the carriageway etc.
• Assist partner agencies e.g. London Ambulance Service, with ‘fast road’ assistance.
• Tracker Equipped.
• Equipped with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology, Cones, Blue Lights, First Aid Kit, Fire Extinguisher, ‘Stinger’ (tyre deflation device) or similar device, plus other items specific to that Borough.

These are the specialist roles that are carried out by an Area Car and its occupants. It would also carry out the more general functions of responding to the more common calls/requests from members of the public etc.