Motor Driving School

"Too many cars, not enough drivers."

Before a police member can drive a police vehicle, they must hold the appropriate Departmental Driving Authority (in addition to a valid Victorian driver's licence). The training and testing of members for these authorities is the job of the Motor Driving School.

Currently located within the Dawson Street Police Complex in Brunswick (northern suburbs of Melbourne), MDS runs a number of different driving courses including:

1) Standard Operational Car Course
2) Advanced Driving Course
3) Four Wheel Drive Course

The instructors are all sworn police members, and when not required at MDS they are often sent to operational stations to supplement the rostered staff. All MDS instructors are trained in various instructional techniques and are required to complete the same course that civilian driving instructors are. They must also FULLY understand the emergency vehicle provisions as they apply to police and Urgent Duty Driving. As such, they need to understand the risks faced by operational members on the roads. They are all highly skilled drivers, with many having hobbies in the sport of motor racing.

Standard Operational Car Course

As a new Probationary Constable, you will be sent to MDS at some stage to obtain your "C Class" Driving Authority. This is obtained by successfully completing the Standard Operational Car Course (SOCC). The course runs for 2 weeks, and is designed to get members to the BASIC level of proficiency to drive police vehicles safely. The course covers some theory components, including police powers to intercept vehicles and specific exemptions to the Road Rules - Victoria to allow police to properly execute their duties.

During the SOCC, students are required to demonstrate correct use of the System of Car Control as taught by MDS. This system has been refined over the years to provide the safest method of controlling a vehicle regardless of weather, traffic or road conditions. Vehicles used by the SOCC are predominantly normal "family" sedans, but at least one session behind the wheel of the Divisional Van is also required. All vehicles used by the SOCC have an automatic transmission.

Students attending the SOCC are teamed up with fellow students so that there are either 2 or 3 students in each vehicle, along with the instructor. Students then take turns cycling through the driver's seat so they can be instructed and assessed. At the end of the first week, the instructors change students so that the students can benefit from different teaching styles. As the course progresses, the driving gets consistently more difficult as the students are expected to reach higher standards of driving.

Some of the things that the instructors demand are:

1) Headway - The practice of SMOOTHLY moving through traffic without getting stuck behind stationary vehicles, or moving backwards!

2) Good forward observations - looking down the road and assessing traffic flow so that you can be in the best lane to make headway.

3) Commentary - drivers are expected to give short periods of running commentary during their periods of driving to demonstrate to the instructor that they have adequate appreciation of the outside environment. A normal commentary may go something like: "I am driving west in Smith Street, which is a two way road with no dividing line. It is a residential area, with houses both left and right so I can expect vehicles to be entering or leaving the driveways along the length of this road. There is a footpath to my left so I need to be aware of pedestrians in the area. I see no speed limit signs, so the default speed limit of 50 kilometres per hour applies. Ahead, I can see a crest of a hill so I will ease off the accelerator as I approach in case there is an obstruction on the other side. There is an intersection just before the crest. It is clear left; clear right; so I can safely pass through the intersection……."

4) HEAD CHECKS!!! - MDS instructors are RED HOT on head checks. When changing direction for any reason (including lane changes) you MUST physically turn your head and check your blind spot BEFORE moving.

During the second week of the course, students are taken to a remote location where they conduct a series of obstacle course exercises, before engaging in a mock pursuit with one of the instructors. The pursuit usually lasts for about 3 minutes, but it feels like 3 HOURS for the drivers!

At the end of the second week, the students are advised whether or not they have passed the course. If they pass, they are immediately issued with the appropriate Driving Authority and can return to their stations to drive the vehicles operationally. A failure in the course means that the student will have to return to their station without being able to drive the station vehicles, until such time as they can successfully complete the course. People who have failed the course are given a lower priority than those members still waiting to attend their first course.

Advanced Driving Course

This course is an extension of the SOCC and is a requirement for ALL Traffic Management Unit members. The ADC is two weeks in duration and consists of about ½ a day of theory to brush up on all the legislation applicable to police driving, and the rest of the time is spent in the cars actually doing it!

The vehicles used by the ADC are V8 sedans and a combination of automatic and manual transmissions are used. The courses are small (maximum of 6 students) with one instructor for every two students. Students are required to display a much higher degree of confidence and ability in controlling the vehicles at reasonably high speed, and must consistently demonstrate an ability to make good headway whilst maintaining a SMOOTH ride.

The first week is fairly intense, although the instructors are forgiving. Every opportunity is taken to provide positive feedback to the students to develop the skills required for the second week of the course. As with the SOCC, at the end of the week the instructors swap students.

The second week is a little more relaxed as the students are now comfortable with the vehicles and instructors. The system of car control should now be second nature, and the business of quickly and smoothly driving the car becomes a priority. Throughout the course, from time to time, students are required to give a commentary of the drive. Drives consist of a number of ½ day runs to various locations, as well as a couple of full day trips through the countryside to expose the students to various traffic and road conditions. A couple of night drives are also included. Towards the end of the second week, the students are required to engage in a mock pursuit of one of the instructors. This chase is FULL ON and really tests the skill of the student in controlling a vehicle at high speeds, and also assesses the student's ability to make rapid decisions appropriate to an ever-changing environment. Some tactics employed by instructors in the past have been to come to a dead stop and then reverse towards the student's vehicle, entering roundabouts and then just driving around in circles for a while before exiting and driving directly at the student's vehicle, losing the student and hiding behind obstacles to evade detection, to name a few.

Satisfactory completion of this course results in a "B Class" Driving Authority being issued to the student.  This enables the Police Officer to drive high speed pursuit vehicles and take Primary Vehicle role in pursuits.  Be assured an accident whilst driving a Police Vehicle will usually always lead you back for remedial training !!!

Four Wheel Drive Course

Unfortunately information on this course is not yet available.  Please check back later.  If you are a serving member and you are able to assist, please contact UHTR Admin.