Call for 'life-saving' stingers

More Metropolitan Police cars should be equipped with devices that can quickly deflate the tyres of vehicles when the driver refuses to stop, according to one London police officer.

He said the gadgets, which use hollow spikes to puncture tyres, could save lives by ending dangerous chases. But the senior officer responsible for road policing in the capital said not all vehicles are equipped because of the specialist training needed to use them.

The call came as the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) prepared to publish a report on road accidents involving police vehicles.

Five years ago, the IPCC said such devices were "key components" in the hunt for criminals and an effective means of stopping rogue vehicles.

Southwark Pc Robin Carr said lengthy chases put motorists and pedestrians at greater risk of injury.

In a letter to The Job, a police in-house magazine, he said: "I am writing about a vehicle pursuit recently in which the car went around in circles for hours. If we had more stinger-equipped vehicles or even the US-style stop sticks, this pursuit could have been terminated much more quickly. After all, the longer a chase goes on, the more likely it is a tragedy will occur."

The stinger is a portable and expandable bed of nails that can be slid under the wheels of a vehicle by an officer at the side of the road.

It is a common sight on in-car camera police reality programmes such as Police, Camera, Action! In the United States, officers use a similar device known as a stop stick.

Commander Shabir Hussain, who is responsible for road policing, said stingers, known to the police as hollow spiked tyre deflation systems, are in use. But he added: "Due to the enhanced training required, not all vehicles are equipped."