Peter Forsyth

Cars – Cheif Bike Observer, Obesrver, Masters (Distinction), Police Advanced Driver Class 1, Police Advanced Driving Instructor, Police VIP Driver and Instructor, Police Tactical Pursuit and Containment Instructor, Skid Recognition and Correction Instructor.
Motorcycles – National Observer, Masters (Distinction).
I joined the police in 1985 and retired just over 30 years later. I spent most of my career involved in Roads Policing and Driver Training. I am currently a ‘civilian’ instructor for Cumbria Constabulary driver training unit. I am continuing to learn (as we all should) and will hopefully qualify as Police Advanced Motorcyclist and Instructor in 2021 (fingers crossed).
I did my first Police Standard Response driving course in 1991. It was a 2 week course of nothing but driving or being a passenger getting driven around Dumfries and Galloway in an unmarked police car. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it turned out I had a bit of aptitude for driving; my career specialising in Roads Policing started 3 years later. I undertook a number of courses (I think I spent over 20 weeks as a driving student of one kind or another, which works out at over 800 hours as a driving student!!). I served a 3 year secondment at the Scottish Police College, where I instructed Advanced Police Drivers from all over Scotland. After leaving ‘The College’ I had a few more police roles before returning to Roads Policing, where I finished my career as the chief driving instructor for Dumfries and Galloway Police Division.
From 1998 – 2001 I was an examiner with the IAM but gave this up due to work and family commitments.
A few months after I retired George Cairns (the then Chair, now Secretary of CWCAM) asked if I would get involved with the IAM again. I have always been a big advocate of improving driving standards; all too often, I’ve seen the results of poor driving, so I instantly agreed.
CWCAM has a lot of highly skilled Observers and I am proud to be one small cog in a big wheel, whose sole aim is to help people be better and safer drivers/riders. The group undertakes regular refresher training and Quality Assurance checks, and I am confident in saying that every single person who gives their time to CWCAM Observing does so to a level that matches, if not exceeds, any training delivered elsewhere.