Policing Board Member, Alan Chambers MLA, has called for new charges to be introduced to deter police vehicles from being rammed and for the courts to have sentencing guidelines that fit the murderous reality of the crime.  

Alan Chambers MLA said, “Over the past few years, a new weapon has been used by those trying to evade being questioned by police officers. That is, using a car the suspect is driving to be steered directly at the officers or deliberately ramming the police vehicle the officers are in. This tactic has the potential to kill or seriously injure officers carrying out their duties, and even where injuries have not been suffered, the police vehicle has to be taken off the road for repairs, which reduces the available transport available to officers to patrol their local areas.

“Last weekend saw two such examples. The first occurred in Cookstown, where two officers were injured and had to be removed from duty. The second incident occurred in Jonesborough, with thankfully no injuries inflicted. However, in both cases, the police vehicles sustained major damage and will be unavailable for use by officers for some time.

“We hear it stated regularly, often in court cases, that a vehicle is a lethal weapon. However, when a driver is brought before the courts to answer for this offence, it is usually brought under road traffic legislation. If a vehicle can be considered to be a lethal weapon that is capable of killing or causing life-changing injuries, why are the charges not the same as if a gun were discharged at officers? The charge would be attempted murder. It would seem entirely logical that the intent of someone driving a vehicle at officers or the vehicle they are in is to cause death or injury.

“All lawful punishment for committing any crime is designed, or should be, to deter perpetrators from carrying out the crime. I would hope that the Minister for Justice will consider introducing a genuine deterrent that will address the murderous intent of using a vehicle as a weapon. Treating such crimes under current road traffic legislation does not provide the deterrent effect that is required to protect the safety and well-being of police officers carrying out their lawful duties.

“In my opinion, it is an attempted murder and the charges and punishment available to the courts should reflect the reality of the intent behind these attacks on police officers.”