25 Jun 2025 Muhammad QASIM · Prevention of Future Deaths report Birmingham and Solihull
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Concerns raised 2
Inconsistent training of standard police drivers on spontaneous pursuits View source Lack of consistent APP guidance on when a spontaneous pursuit can occur View source
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised. 6
College of Policing
Review current police pursuit training requirements, including national standards and authorised training arrangements.
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College of Policing
Continue working with NPCC leads and police forces to align national guidance and training with best practice and safe operational decision-making.
View source
College of Policing
Continue monitoring and addressing inconsistencies in police pursuit training delivery through quality-assurance frameworks and feedback mechanisms.
View source
College of Policing
Disseminate learning from the case nationally through operational learning channels, bulletins, and training-material updates.
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College of Policing
Review the current Police Pursuit APP guidance and identify ambiguity in the term “spontaneous pursuit”.
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College of Policing
Progress an amendment to replace “spontaneous pursuit” with clearer guidance aligned with the National Decision Model.
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AI-generated summary
Muhammad QASIM · Prevention of Future Deaths report
This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.
Report summary
Muhammad QASIM died on 2 October 2023 after a high-speed BMW collision in which the vehicle left the road and struck two trees; he suffered unsurvivable traumatic head injuries. The report raises concerns about differing interpretations and training regarding spontaneous police pursuits, and about investigative responsibilities and the absence of a full forensic collision investigation report in fatal incidents involving a conduct investigation.
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How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Inconsistent training of standard police drivers on spontaneous pursuits
Wider context from the report “1. For the college of policing: The inquest heard evidence from 2 specialist police driving instructors in different police forces. Both had a different interpretation of when a spontaneous pursuit could occur as set out in the APP guidance. One force did not train officers who were standard drivers in relation to spontaneous pursuits as these were thought to be a type of pursuit and dependent on first satisfying the main definition of a pursuit under the APP guidance. The other force considered spontaneous pursuit to be a stand alone type of pursuit and trained standard driving officers in relation to it. The confusion around what amounts to a spontaneous pursuit and when one can occur, and the difference in training of police standard drivers , creates a risk of future deaths and action should be taken.
” Source location Muhammad QASIM · Prevention of Future Deaths report
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How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of consistent APP guidance on when a spontaneous pursuit can occur
Wider context from the report “1. For the college of policing: The inquest heard evidence from 2 specialist police driving instructors in different police forces. Both had a different interpretation of when a spontaneous pursuit could occur as set out in the APP guidance. One force did not train officers who were standard drivers in relation to spontaneous pursuits as these were thought to be a type of pursuit and dependent on first satisfying the main definition of a pursuit under the APP guidance. The other force considered spontaneous pursuit to be a stand alone type of pursuit and trained standard driving officers in relation to it. The confusion around what amounts to a spontaneous pursuit and when one can occur , and the difference in training of police standard drivers, creates a risk of future deaths and action should be taken.
” Source location Muhammad QASIM · Prevention of Future Deaths report
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Review current police pursuit training requirements, including national standards and authorised training arrangements.
Verbatim wording from the response “We have reviewed the current training requirements for police pursuits:” Source location Response from the College of Policing
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Continue working with NPCC leads and police forces to align national guidance and training with best practice and safe operational decision-making.
Verbatim wording from the response “We are committed to ensuring that the learning from this case leads to meaningful and lasting improvements in policing practice and will continue to work closely with NPCC leads and police forces to ensure that national guidance and training reflect best practice and support safe operational decision-making. We aim to publish the revised guidance by December 2025, subject to consultation and governance processes. The College will continue to monitor and address any inconsistencies in training delivery through its QA frameworks and feedback mechanisms. We will also ensure that learning from this case is disseminated nationally through our operational learning channels, including bulletins and updates to training materials.” Source location Response from the College of Policing
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Continue monitoring and addressing inconsistencies in police pursuit training delivery through quality-assurance frameworks and feedback mechanisms.
Verbatim wording from the response “We are committed to ensuring that the learning from this case leads to meaningful and lasting improvements in policing practice and will continue to work closely with NPCC leads and police forces to ensure that national guidance and training reflect best practice and support safe operational decision-making. We aim to publish the revised guidance by December 2025, subject to consultation and governance processes. The College will continue to monitor and address any inconsistencies in training delivery through its QA frameworks and feedback mechanisms. We will also ensure that learning from this case is disseminated nationally through our operational learning channels, including bulletins and updates to training materials.” Source location Response from the College of Policing
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Disseminate learning from the case nationally through operational learning channels, bulletins, and training-material updates.
Verbatim wording from the response “We are committed to ensuring that the learning from this case leads to meaningful and lasting improvements in policing practice and will continue to work closely with NPCC leads and police forces to ensure that national guidance and training reflect best practice and support safe operational decision-making. We aim to publish the revised guidance by December 2025, subject to consultation and governance processes. The College will continue to monitor and address any inconsistencies in training delivery through its QA frameworks and feedback mechanisms. We will also ensure that learning from this case is disseminated nationally through our operational learning channels, including bulletins and updates to training materials.” Source location Response from the College of Policing
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Review the current Police Pursuit APP guidance and identify ambiguity in the term “spontaneous pursuit”.
Verbatim wording from the response “• We have reviewed the current Police Pursuit APP guidance. While the initial definition of a police pursuit is considered clear and appropriate, we acknowledge that the term ‘spontaneous pursuit’ may be open to interpretation. This could suggest that a pursuit might occur without first meeting the established definition.” Source location Response from the College of Policing
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How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Progress an amendment to replace “spontaneous pursuit” with clearer guidance aligned with the National Decision Model.
Verbatim wording from the response “• We will progress an amendment to the Police Pursuit APP to replace the reference to ‘spontaneous pursuit’ with clearer, more precise guidance aligned with the National Decision Model (NDM).” Source location Response from the College of Policing
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How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Chief Officers are responsible for arranging pursuit-driver selection, training and authorisation, and determining operational deployment in accordance with national standards.
Verbatim wording from the response “• The Code of Practice on the Management of Police Pursuits (Home Office, 2011) states that Chief Officers should arrange the selection, training, and authorisation of officers involved in pursuits in accordance with national standards. These national standards are set out in the Police Driving National Policing Curriculum and cover the initial phase pursuit, tactical phase pursuit, and command and control. It is the responsibility of each Chief Officer to determine the operational deployment of officers trained and authorised in both the initial phase (response drivers) and tactical phase (advanced drivers).” Source location Response from the College of Policing
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3 Mar 2022 Andrew David Kitson · Prevention of Future Deaths report West Yorkshire Eastern
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Concerns raised 2
Insufficiently refined parameters and guidance for spontaneous police pursuits in residential areas View source Lack of statistical evidence and analytical feedback for evaluating the risks and effectiveness of spontaneous police pursuits View source
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
Tracy Brabin West Yorkshire Police
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised. 6
West Yorkshire Police
Re-evaluate local pursuit arrangements.
View source
West Yorkshire Police
Liaise with national pursuit and driving standards leads to assess compliance with national standards.
View source
West Yorkshire Police
Record all pursuits in Chronicle and provide the data quarterly to the National Pursuits Group.
View source
West Yorkshire Police
Discuss reconfiguring Chronicle to record whether pursuits result in arrests.
View source
West Yorkshire Police
Collaborate with the National Pursuit Group on routine pursuit debriefing and adapt local practice accordingly.
View source
West Yorkshire Police
Assess trends in pursuit outcomes and their links to driver training and national standards.
View source See 3 more actions
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AI-generated summary
Andrew David Kitson · Prevention of Future Deaths report
This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.
Report summary
Andrew David Kitson was walking on the pavement of the A61 Leeds Road on 9 June 2020 when a Peugeot being pursued by police lost control, mounted the pavement and struck him. He sustained multiple injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The concerns related to insufficient statistical evidence for evaluating spontaneous police pursuits and the burden placed on police personnel when assessing the safety of continuing high-speed pursuits in residential areas.
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How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Insufficiently refined parameters and guidance for spontaneous police pursuits in residential areas
Wider context from the report “(2) The rules governing spontaneous police pursuits in residential areas place an onerous burden upon police standards review continuously the safety of proceeding whilst at the same time driving at high speed . The pursuit manager who authorises the continuance of a pursuit is dependant upon fragments of verbal messages relayed over the radio, due to the perceived need to leave airtime for other TPAC units to input information. The Inquest heard evidence to the effect that real time camera pictures from the police vehicle are not always available due to IT issues. This means the pursuit manager must largely trust the judgement of the police driver.
In order to lessen the burden upon the police driver in having to weigh numerous factors in a continuing, complex judgement, consideration should be given to a refinement of the parameters in which pursuits in residential areas are permitted . Such guidance to pursuit managers (informed by data regarding the effectiveness and risks arising in previous pursuits) would help to promote consistency and lessen the dependence upon a case-by-case judgement made in a pressured timescale.
” Source location Andrew David Kitson · Prevention of Future Deaths report
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How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of statistical evidence and analytical feedback for evaluating the risks and effectiveness of spontaneous police pursuits
Wider context from the report “(1) The evidence taken at the inquest revealed insufficient statistical evidence was available to guide an evaluation of the proportion of spontaneous police pursuits which
(a) involve driving at high speeds through residential areas;
(b) result in the apprehension of an offender;
(c) result in personal injury to other road users or property damage;
(d) are aborted without the alleged offender being caught;
without such analytical feedback (ideally prepared on a national basis) the risks inherent in such pursuits, balanced against their effectiveness, cannot adequately be reviewed .
” Source location Andrew David Kitson · Prevention of Future Deaths report
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Re-evaluate local pursuit arrangements.
Verbatim wording from the response “Following receipt of the Regulation 28 report, we undertook to re-evaluate our local arrangements at West Yorkshire Police and also to liaise with the NPCC National leads for Pursuit and Driving Standards to assess our compliance with National Standards.” Source location Response from West Yorkshire Police
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How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Liaise with national pursuit and driving standards leads to assess compliance with national standards.
Verbatim wording from the response “Following receipt of the Regulation 28 report, we undertook to re-evaluate our local arrangements at West Yorkshire Police and also to liaise with the NPCC National leads for Pursuit and Driving Standards to assess our compliance with National Standards.” Source location Response from West Yorkshire Police
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How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Record all pursuits in Chronicle and provide the data quarterly to the National Pursuits Group.
Verbatim wording from the response “West Yorkshire Police has recorded data relating to pursuits since 2017. From April 2019, the mechanisms for recording data changed and as such for the period between April 2019 and July 2020, the data remains available but only manually retrievable from RT18 forms. This particular format is not easily useable or searchable. However, since July 2020 all pursuits are recorded on a Force system called Chronicle (an electronic database) and this data is passed through to the National Pursuits Group (NPROII) on a quarterly basis. The data includes whether the pursuit was spontaneous, the reason for the pursuit, time/date, whether the pursuit was discontinued, the reason for discontinuance and the location.” Source location Response from West Yorkshire Police
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Discuss reconfiguring Chronicle to record whether pursuits result in arrests.
Verbatim wording from the response “There is currently no system-retrievable data which directly correlates whether a suspect is detained as a result of a pursuit. Additional de-briefing reports (the command and control system incident log, supervisor shift reports) do routinely explain pursuit activity and arrests made. Chronicle can only be configured on a national level to include whether an arrest(s) is made or not. Discussions are to be undertaken with the National Pursuit Group to explore the re-configuration of Chronicle to include specific arrest information.” Source location Response from West Yorkshire Police
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How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Collaborate with the National Pursuit Group on routine pursuit debriefing and adapt local practice accordingly.
Verbatim wording from the response “Collaboration with the National Pursuit Group regarding whether all Forces routinely debrief pursuit activity (incorporating airmax/ watchguard) and to adapt as local practice is ongoing.” Source location Response from West Yorkshire Police
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How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Assess trends in pursuit outcomes and their links to driver training and national standards.
Verbatim wording from the response “The ongoing assessment of trends in pursuit outcomes and the link to driver training (national standards) has been raised with ████████ (national lead for Pursuit).” Source location Response from West Yorkshire Police
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How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Existing dynamic risk assessment, trained decision-makers and ground commander primacy are retained rather than imposing more limited pursuit parameters.
Verbatim wording from the response “It is an operational reality that every pursuit has different and distinct dynamics which relate to: environmental factors; suspect identity, capability and intent; suspect vehicle capability; police officer capability; police vehicle capability; offence severity; and the ongoing risk assessment. Taking these into account, and in order to provide the best possible decision-making capability, West Yorkshire Police’s Driver Training utilises Authorised Professional (National) Practice, in conjunction with robust training around the use of the National Decision Model, which outlines the relevant roles and responsibilities as below.” Source location Response from West Yorkshire Police
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How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Redefining pursuit parameters using statistical data requires national-level discussion to ensure consistency across police forces.
Verbatim wording from the response “In order to lessen the burden upon the police driver in having to weigh numerous factors in continuing, complex judgement, consideration should be given to a refinement of the parameters in which pursuits in residential areas are permitted. Such guidance to pursuit managers (informed by data regarding the effectiveness and risks arising in previous disputes) would help to promote consistency and lessen dependence upon a case-by-case judgement made in a pressured timescale” Source location Response from West Yorkshire Police
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How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Operational policing, including spontaneous pursuits, is assigned to the Chief Constable, while the Mayor’s role is limited to accountability without fettering operational independence.
Verbatim wording from the response “The use of spontaneous police pursuits is a matter of operational policing concerning the deployment of police officers which falls under the direction and control of the Chief Constable. As the Mayor of West Yorkshire with Police and Crime Commissioner responsibilities, my statutory role is to hold the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire to account for the performance of his functions without compromising or fettering his operational independence (s.1 Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 and Policing Protocol Order 2011).” Source location Response from Mayor of West Yorkshire
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Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.