Road Traffic Accident call-outs

[Longstrider]

Many moons ago I volunteered to be available to assist the police with deer injured on the road, as I know many others here on SD do. Call-outs came sporadically but sadly never too far apart.
The last time I was called was in the small hours of a morning. Out of bed and half way down the stairs with the cabinet keys in my hand I was called again to be 'stood down' with the explanation that the police firearms unit would be attending instead.
Since then (some months ago) I have not had peep out of them. If it's simply that my services have not been required then that's a good thing, but I've seen plenty of dead deer in the locality and have to assume that perhaps not all of them were instant.

Does anyone know if the police have had a change of policy on dealing with injured deer on the roads or if they're utilising their own people for the job now ? Particularly interested in those from Northants, but any info greatly appreciated.

Also, as an aside.... Living as I do right on the border between constabularies I contacted TVP at the beginning of last month to offer my help in the vicinity of home but 'over the border' into their patch. Not a peep of a reply other than an automated acknowledgment of my e-mail. FFS if they do or don't want the help, is it too much to ask for the politeness of a reply ?

 

[Andyquadra]

@Leupsak may know more

 

[ndjfb00]

Sadly most of the police forces are shying away from using this free resource through fear of something going wrong and they then get the backlash HOWEVER @cookingfat may have some good news on this front....

 

[Overlay]

To be honest, its not a bad thing for stalkers not to be involved anymore, the paperwork etc etc just doesn't warrant the time and effort involved particularly seeing as the firearms police can override the permission to shoot part which in some circumstances are difficult nowadays particularly with Joe Public intervening ways
, the police want it sorted, getting highways to attend blah blah blah

I think from memory Norfolk or that area last year stood down their “on call dispatch volunteers “ for HD

For what it is, for whats it worth in time and effort for a firearms holder suited to HD its time for a change but on the hope wounded animals aren't held up in pain on their final journey
,

 

[User00056]

The last time I was involved in a police HD I had to sit and watch an RTA injured roe for over an hour after putting a jumper over it's head. I was on my way back from shooting clays, and was told by the attending police officer that under no circumstances was I to shoot it. If she hadn't been there I'd have done just that. Instead, as I say it took over an hour for a 'police approved' HD practitioner to attend. Not a criticism of the police, but rather of the idiotic procedures that detract from animal welfare rather than cater for it.

The entire approach to humane despatch needs a rethink, in my view

 

[Leupsak]

I am on the Police database and registered as an on call vet with the RSPCA and am still called out as regularly as I always have been.

I found the key to carrying out HD for other organisations is to have the condition on your FAC, good liability insurance, H&S qualifications and written risk assessments and have demonstrable evidence and qualifications of working with large animals and lots of experience of dispatching large animals in a controlled environment.

I have never had an issue with the Police shying away from using me, as someone with the expertise to safely deal with the incident I am left to my own devices and in the vast majority of cases the animal is dispatch within 2 minutes of my arrival.

 

[Reloader708]

Sadly most of the police forces are shying away from using this free resource through fear of something going wrong and they then get the backlash HOWEVER @cookingfat may have some good news on this front....

To be honest you can't blame them, an unknown entity with a gun in public. If something did go amiss imagine the paperwork.
I don't know why some folk are so keen to get involved, it's just too risky.
A rural backroad, aye fine. Somewhere busy with folk watching with camera phones at the ready, no way.

 

[scotch_egg]

I am on the Police database and registered as an on call vet with the RSPCA and am still called out as regularly as I always have been.

I found the key to carrying out HD for other organisations is to have the condition on your FAC, good liability insurance, H&S qualifications and written risk assessments and have demonstrable evidence and qualifications of working with large animals and lots of experience of dispatching large animals in a controlled environment.

I have never had an issue with the Police shying away from using me, as someone with the expertise to safely deal with the incident I am left to my own devices and in the vast majority of cases the animal is dispatch within 2 minutes of my arrival.

As a vet on police call out, do you get paid for this service? Much like the rota recovery garages that get paid for recovering vehicles.

 

[Leupsak]

I do

 

[scotch_egg]

I do

And you should.

 

[baguio]

Change of policy in many areas. Suffolk have taken it back and their Armed responce now attend. The call out list is no more.

 

[Bowland blades]

Many moons ago I volunteered to be available to assist the police with deer injured on the road, as I know many others here on SD do. Call-outs came sporadically but sadly never too far apart.
The last time I was called was in the small hours of a morning. Out of bed and half way down the stairs with the cabinet keys in my hand I was called again to be 'stood down' with the explanation that the police firearms unit would be attending instead.
Since then (some months ago) I have not had peep out of them. If it's simply that my services have not been required then that's a good thing, but I've seen plenty of dead deer in the locality and have to assume that perhaps not all of them were instant.

Does anyone know if the police have had a change of policy on dealing with injured deer on the roads or if they're utilising their own people for the job now ? Particularly interested in those from Northants, but any info greatly appreciated.

Also, as an aside.... Living as I do right on the border between constabularies I contacted TVP at the beginning of last month to offer my help in the vicinity of home but 'over the border' into their patch. Not a peep of a reply other than an automated acknowledgment of my e-mail. FFS if they do or don't want the help, is it too much to ask for the politeness of a reply ?

No nail on the head the majority of forces do not want us involved. Think i might think the same if i was chief constable , high potential to blow up in your face

 

[ndjfb00]

Change of policy in many areas. Suffolk have taken it back and their Armed responce now attend. The call out list is no more.

See this FB, Hants have created a DMQ course that is being offered to other forces because until now, nothing official existed.

 

[Longstrider]

Turns out that my local force DO still call us occasionally after all ! Saturday night about 11pm I had a call asking if I could attend to an injured deer near a village over 12miles away.

Sods Law dictated that I'd just finished my rum-n-coke so I was unable to assist in this instance.

 

[Dickie]

Looks like Hampshire actively asking for volunteers in certain areas.
from Facebook, Looks like someone needs some proper England lessons to.

 

[sauer]

I know many do it under guise of giving something back and to reduce suffering but….
I recently spoke to a CID member and another police member …. “All I’ll say is if you screw it up they will not hesitate to throw book at you “ was what was said to me
Now it seems roundabout Perth area I’m told they are doing it themselves now
Last time I got a call I asked if someone on site and was told no … i said I wasn’t going unless they had folk on site …. Had too many occasions late / early hours and no sign of said animal where they stated.

many stories of people saying their area going back to doing it in-house

Paul