police allowed to speed

[bluebeaker]

are police allowed to speed

[Yorkie580]

Yes - if necessary for a policing purpose... and they don't have to be on call or have their lights on by law, although usually one or the other would apply.

[Buenchico]

Any police officer who exceeds the speed limit is breaking the law because the law applies to everyone. However, that's not the same as saying that he will (or should) be prosecuted for doing so.

The Crown Prosecution Service exercises discretion in all genuine emergencies. That not only includes the emergency services but also, for example, a parent rushing a seriously ill child to hospital.

The CPS produces staff guidelines to ensure that the same standards apply throughout the country. Unlike many 'official' bodies, their internal guidelines aren't kept secret from the public. Anyone can view them, here:
http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/section9/chapter_b .html#08

Chris

[Yorkie580]

By virtue of Section 87 Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (as amended by Section 19 Road Safety Act 2006),

(1) No statutory provision imposing a speed limit on motor vehicles shall apply to any vehicle on an occasion when�

(a) it is being used for fire and rescue authority purposes or for or in connection with the exercise of any function of a relevant authority as defined in section 6 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, for Ambulance purposes or for Police or Serious Organised Crime Agency purposes,
(b) it is being used for other prescribed purposes in such circumstances as may be prescribed, or
(c) it is being used for training persons to drive vehicles for use for any of the purposes mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) above, if the observance of that provision would be likely to hinder the use of the vehicle for the purpose for which it was being used on that occasion.

(2) Subsection (1) above does not apply unless the vehicle is being driven by a person who-
(a) has satisfactorily completed a course of training in the driving of vehicles at high speed provided in accordance with regulations under this section, or
(b) is driving the vehicle as part of such a course.