Compliance Officers given additional powers to tackle illegal drivers and vehicles

Until recently, Compliance Officers in the capital carried out road stops with the police while checking drivers’ licences and their vehicles. But with the recent increase of London licensed vehicles, Compliance Officers have now been given new powers by the Metropolitan Police under the Community Safety and Accreditation Scheme (CSAS). This enables them to stop vehicles for inspection, testing and verification of licensing conditions, and the power to demand the name and address of the driver. Compliance Officers have to pass three qualifications in order to carry out the stops:

The Community Safety and Accreditation Scheme (CSAS) - this allows the compliance officers to stop the vehicle for testing purposes and demand the driver’s name and address. They can call the police directly if they need assistance.

Safety Coning Off BTEC – this ensures they can correctly cordon off the stop site without endangering themselves or anyone else.

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Inspection BTEC – this certifies they have the competency to perform a vehicle inspection.

There are currently 300 compliance officers and 120 are being trained to carry out the road stops in the Metropolitan Police area and at Heathrow, which is a private site. Accredited officers have been issued with new CSAS hi visibility jackets. The new CSAS powers enable Compliance Officers to:

Require a person’s name and address for anti-social behaviour or for road traffic offences

Stop a vehicle for testing

Control traffic

Stop cycles

Compliance Officers are already able to:

Request a copy of the certificate of insurance for inspection

Inspect a driver’s badge or photo ID

Ask for a driver, vehicle or private hire operator licence for inspection

Remove and retain a plate/disc of a licence that has expired, or been suspended or revoked

Request a vehicle to be inspected