German car maker is now working with UK forces after Cumbria PC Nick Dumphreys, 47, died in January 2020 when engine of his patrol car caught fire.
Police have been told not to drive too fast during pursuits and emergency call outs in some of their BMWs following the death of an officer.
Forces across the UK have ordered officers to avoid high-speed chases in BMW models with an N57 engine, while some have removed the vehicles from their fleet altogether.
Blue light responders have reportedly been advised not to go more than 20mph over the speed limit of the road they are travelling on.
It comes after the death of Cumbria Constabulary officer Nick Dumphreys, 47, whose engine burst into flames on the M6 in January 2020 while he was responding to a 999 call in a BMW 330 patrol car.
(Cumbria Constabulary/Nick Dumphreys)
A pre-inquest review in May last year heard how the car driven by the police officer, who had been on the force for 17 years, returned to the constabulary’s vehicle management unit at least four times in the month before his death.
BMW said the issue, affecting a small number of special high-performance vehicles, was down to a “technical matter” linked to “the particular way” police use their cars. The car manufacturer said there was no need for action on any civilian vehicles.
Durham Constabulary has now adopted a “no pursuit policy” for its BMWs, which are driven only by armed and traffic officers.
The force said it was carrying out a review of its fleet, but that it was confident it would not affect its ability to respond to incidents.
Neighbouring Northumbria Police in September confirmed it had scrapped its fleet of BMW X5s as a precaution.
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