A Sussex Police officer charged with dangerous driving after a collision while responding to an emergency has been released with no further action. PC James Kirk was involved in a crash in Brighton last September.
Lights and Sirens, Then Impact
On 4 September, PC Kirk was rushing to an emergency call in a marked police car with sirens and lights blazing. He went through a red light and collided with a light goods vehicle. The incident sparked intense scrutiny due to the high stakes involved in emergency driving.
CPS Drops Case: Public Interest Prevails
The Crown Prosecution Service initially authorised dangerous driving charges. But after review, the CPS dropped the case, saying pursuing prosecution wasn’t in the public interest. This is a significant ruling for officers operating under pressure.
The High Stakes of Emergency Response Driving
Emergency response isn’t reckless; it’s a carefully controlled, trained, and authorised activity. Officers routinely exceed speed limits and run red lights to reach people in danger fast. Yet when accidents happen, they risk lengthy investigations and criminal charges even if they follow protocol.
“We ask police officers to respond immediately to life-threatening situations. We expect them to arrive quickly. We criticise them when they don’t. But we also place them in a system where a split-second decision, made under pressure and for the public good, can lead to criminal charges hanging over them for months or years.”
While PC Kirk’s case moves to Sussex Police’s Professional Standards Department for potential misconduct consideration, the criminal prosecution has been dropped. Officers aren’t seeking to be above the law—they want a system that understands the realities and risks of emergency driving.
If responding to emergencies means living under threat of prosecution despite training and good faith, it raises a serious question about the future of policing under pressure.
