High Vis clothing worn on Highways

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.24.038263

I note you seek access to the following information:

1. Do you have Plain Clothes officers who take part in Surge Operations (formerly known as Interceptors)
2. Is it a requirement for covert officers to wear high visibility clothing while on highways.

Clarification
When you refer to Plain Clothes and Covert Officers you mean Police Officers who are not dressed in full uniform
Yes I do mean Police Officers who are not dressed in full uniform.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full. Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Q1 - Do you have Plain Clothes officers who take part in Surge Operations (formerly known as Interceptors)

The Taskforce Surge Team are uniformed officers but do occasionally operate in plain clothes.

Q2 - Is it a requirement for covert officers to wear high visibility clothing while on highways.

We have no covert officers as part of the Taskforce Surge Teams. Covert officers differ from plain clothes officers. When operating in plain clothes and working on a fast road officers should wear high visibility clothing however as policing can be dynamic in nature during spontaneous incidents this does not always occur.