Bengaluru: Valid driving licence a must to drive official vehicles, says DG&IGP

Bengaluru: Every policeman or woman driving an official vehicle should have a valid driving licence (DL), barring which they will not be allowed to drive or ride official vehicles, stated a circular issued from the Director General and Inspector General of Police’s (DG&IGP) office to all district offices and commissionerates. The circular also stated that the drivers who do not have DLs should get them within two weeks.

A senior police officer said, “Every police personnel, deputed to drive official vehicles, including patrol vehicles, should have both two and four-wheeler licence. If not, they have to get one from the concerned regional transport office (RTO) at the earliest. Those not carrying a valid DL will not be allowed to drive or ride the vehicle.”

He said, “The circular was issued after it was found that official vehicles involved in accidents were not eligible for insurance as drivers did not have valid DLs. This also sets a bad example as we keep advising the public not to ride or drive without a licence and it is odd when our own official drivers do not follow the rules. We have asked senior police officers to check after a few weeks if the police personnel driving vehicles have a valid licence.”

The officer said that they want every policeman and woman to know driving and riding, as it is useful during times of emergency. “Most of the time, there is a need for drivers, but only a few know how to drive and this leads to a crisis. We will soon write to the recruitment department to ensure that the new recruits possess both riding and driving skills with valid DLs,” the officer said.

Police personnel, who are assigned official vehicles, should ensure that all valid documents pertaining to a particular car or bike are kept in the vehicle and are easily accessible.