Latest changes – armed policing

Addition of content to existing sections on:

• 'Assess threat and risk and develop a working strategy'
• 'Briefing'
• 'Briefing' – '5. Keeping a record'

• Amendment to existing section on 'Command roles and functions' – addition of content about separation of responsibilities of different functions.
• Addition of new section and content with subheading 'Planning meetings', beneath 'Initial command responsibility'.
• Amendment to existing section on 'Sustained public protection' – addition of content about balancing risk and sufficiency of evidence, and consulting with sentencing guidelines.
• Amendment to replace the term 'imminent' with 'real and immediate' in the existing section, 'Approval and authorisation of tactical plans'.
• Amendment to bulleted lists of responsibilities for both strategic firearms commanders (SFCs) and tactical firearms commanders (TFCs), to clarify that 'actions and decisions are recorded in accordance with national minimum standards'.
• Renamed heading 'Occupational and operational competence within command roles' to 'Selection and accreditation for command and tactical advisor roles', and added content relating to an auditable selection process for SFCs and TFCs. 
• Addition of new content beneath existing heading 'Re-accreditation and refresher process for commanders and tactical advisors'.

Amendments to replace the term 'imminent' with 'real and immediate' – this change affects content under the existing sections, 'Critical shot' and 'Threat to life'.

Change to existing section on 'Lawful orders' to replace the term 'order' with 'authorisation'.

Amendment to existing sections on:

• 'Special leave or suspension from duty' – addition of circumstance where key police witnesses (KPWs) should not contact colleagues in the police service.
• 'Authorisation' – addition of content around making evidence-based assessments about permitting officers and staff to resume duties.

Addition of new content about 'Body-worn video' beneath existing section on 'Record information'.

• Addition of new heading 'Command authorisation to use force'.
• 'Access to decisive information' moved below new heading 'Command authorisation to use force'.
• Addition of new heading 'Rifle-initiated entry to save life' and associated new content.
• Amendment to replace the term 'imminent' with 'real and immediate' in the existing section, 'Influencing factors'.

Changes made to section 'Authority to deploy AFOs'.

Change made to third sentence of the third paragraph – 'Where practicable, any subsequently authorised armed deployment should be subject to appropriate tactical advice.'

'Should' changed to 'must'.

Additional text to Stage 3 – personal initial accounts and Stage 4 – detailed accounts, statements and interviews, about formal documentation due to possible subsequent legal, conduct or coronial proceedings.

Destruction of animals – wording change from should to must – 'Where time permits, a firearms tactical advisor must be contacted.'

Amended content for 'Standing authority for the issue and carriage of firearms' and new section added below - Protection and Vulnerability Mitigation (PVM) arrangements.

Updated changes to Taser APP document.

Broken links to tables amended.

Updated CED leaflet links.

Risk factors section - replaced (SACMILL) with (DOMILL) Effects section - added 'is after 'but it'.

Medical assessment section replaced (within aftercare section) CED information leaflets section replaced.

Amended location of a reference from MLE to Knowledge Hub.

Amend to section on de-escalation of conflict

Amends made to ballistic protection section.

Updated content

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Updated content and changed title of module.

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Reference documents added to support the latest T7 model.

Updated content to reflect latest model.

Post-deployment replaced with updated version.

Content for Use of force reporting amended.

Update IPCC to IOPC and amend link to IOPC guidance.

Replaced 2013 Home Office Code of Practice with new College 2020 Code of Practice on Armed Policing and Police use of Less Lethal Weapons.

Updated wording around percussion grenades.

Correct link added to pdf of ‘Home Office (2003) Code of Practice on the Police use of Firearms and Less Lethal Weapons.

Removed incorrect link to Home Office (2003) Code of Practice on the Police use of Firearms and Less Lethal Weapons.

Changes to Discharge of Firearms, and Use of Force, Firearms and less lethal weapons - Includes explanation around critical and conventional shots; terminology change - direction replaced by tasking.

Minor amendment wording around weapons and exhibits - formatting.

Updated information leaflets for use of Taser.

Various change to maintain currency in line with review.

Update to reflect new authorised model.

New reference material added - information leaflets.

Update to information on Taser.

Update to information on Taser.

Who should conduct an organisational learning debrief:

Addition of paragraph concerning sustained public protection, the balance of operational risk associated with surveillance operations and armed intervention. 

Addition of paragraph concerning sustained public protection, the balance of operational risk associated with surveillance operations and armed intervention.

Addition of paragraph concerning sustained public protection, the balance of operational risk associated with surveillance operations and armed intervention.

Addition of information on operational debrief; clarification of information on separation.