Select Committee on Defence Written Evidence


Metropolitan Police Specialist Training Centre SO19 Firearms Training

ARV ENTRY FIREARMS STUDENT OFFICER CARE AND SUPPORT PROVISION

  This document explains the provision of advice, care and support services available for Entry Level ARV Firearms Course student officers within the Metropolitan Police Specialist Training Centre (MPSTC).

1.  INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF

  In addition to providing instruction and training, members of the Instructional Staff act as first line managers to the student officers. In this role they manage all aspects of study support, welfare, discipline, sickness and personal issues and act in a liaison and referral role to support units and other advice providers.

2.  COURSE DIRECTORS

  Course Directors (Inspectors and Sergeants) are responsible for the management of all staff and student officers within their own intake. As such they have a responsibility for all line management issues. Referrals are made by Course Directors to the Head of Firearms Training (Chief Inspector) on matters of welfare and discipline. The ratio of Instructors to students is approximately 1:2.

3.  WELFARE PROCEDURES

  Officers requesting ARV firearms training must complete an application form that is signed by both line manager and OCU commander. This details why the officer wishes to undertake the role but additionally covers other matters relating to the wider questions of the carriage of firearms eg have they discussed the matter with friends and relatives? Have they fully considered the potential consequences of the carriage of firearms? SO19 has a web site on the internal intranet, which contains information on recruitment and training. Officers who are considered suitable for training and pass this filter process are then allocated courses. Officers are allocated a dedicated administration officer who is responsible for all pre-course welfare and training issues. They send out pre-read joining instructions and are available for issues around training prior to attending the course. An instructor mentor is appointed for each officer at the start of each course. A bespoke ARV mentoring system is currently being developed. Mentors have been selected and are currently being trained. Every student has contact outside course hours with the course duty officer who is available until 10.00 pm for additional training, development and welfare issues and available after 10.00 pm through the reception desk via mobile or pager for welfare issues. Each student has a daily feedback from their dedicated instructor and on completion, if students are successful, they receive a debrief and see their course report through their OCU Commander. If they fail, a full debrief takes place prior to leaving the site and a development programme will be discussed and agreed eg if shooting skills are the problem area, a one day re-authorisation could be agreed and arranged.

4.  POLICE FEDERATION

  The Police Federation have full time representatives on site and are available at all times to advise officers on a wide range of issues. Federation representatives are available for Constable, Sergeant and Inspector ranks. The Police Federation address all intakes of ARV officers in welfare and post incident procedure. The role of the Federation is fully explained along with the assistance they can provide whilst the students are in training throughout their armed duties and particularly post incident.

5.  SAFETY ISSUES

  Officers attending ARV entry training are given full access to protective equipment appropriate to the exercise and location being trained. Eg while on the range they wear ballistic protection and glasses. Whilst undertaking simmunition training they wear appropriate body protection as advised by the company and a risk assessment for the exercise. Weapons and ammunition are drawn as appropriate to the exercise by nationally qualified instructors and handed back in to the armourer at the end of that specific training. Officers have no unsupervised access to firearms or ammunition. Full specific risk assessments are carried out for each individual training exercise.

6.  POST INCIDENT PROCEDURES

  All officers attending ARV Entry Level firearms training are given a full input on action taken post incident. They are instructed on all issues of the subsequent investigation and the welfare facilities available to them. They are made fully conversant with how to obtain advice from the Police Federation, Legal services and Occupational Health. They are made aware of the return to operational duties procedure and the debriefing processes.

HOSTAGE RELEASE, ANTI-TERRORISM AND EXPLOSIVES TRAINING

  The nature of the Operational sensitivity in these areas is not suitable for inclusion in a public document but the general provisions of welfare support to officers engaged in these roles is similar to those across the Metropolitan Police Service.

  In operational events risk assessments are conducted by Investigating Officers normally in the rank of Detective Inspector and in many cases consideration will need to be given to the armed involvement of SO19 officers. Where this occurs the provisions of Firearms training from SO19 apply.

  There is a service level support programme entitled "Under Pressure" and a trauma support call-out facility which is utilised which is under the direction of the Occupational Health Department.

  Following recent de-briefing events it has been proposed that the general awareness of officers be raised in relation to trauma support programmes and this will be a training Intervention. Proposals have also been made to include an Occupational Heath Advisor at the operational de-brief.

May 2004

GLOSSARY OF TERMS


ACPOAssociation of Chief Police Officers

ARVArmed Response Vehicle
ARV Entry CourseThe three week residential firearms course during which students learn to use the Glock 17 pistol and tactics appropriate to the ARV role.
AWAREThe Metropolitan Police IT platform (e-mails, Intranet and other windows-based packages)
BOCUBorough Operational Command Unit
C3i ProjectCommand, Control, Communication and Information Project
CIDCriminal Investigation Department
COCommissioner's Office
CO11/12Metropolitan Police Public Order Branch
COMETSThe Metropolitan Police Sports and Social Association
CS Spray2-chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile (CS) spray
DOITDevelopment and Organisation Improvement Team
DTDDirectorate of Training and Development
GFLBGravity Friction Lock Baton (asp)
HRHuman Resources
HR3(7)Cost Centre Code
KEEKnowledge Evaluation Exercise
MPSMetropolitan Police Service
MPSTCMetropolitan Police Specialist Training Centre
NLPNeuro-Linguistic Programming
OCUOperational Command Unit
OHOccupational Health
OSTOfficer Safety Training
PCUPastoral Care Unit
PPCTPressure Point Compliance Technique
PSPolice Sergeant
PTPhysical Training
Regulation 15Recommendation for the dispensation of services (probationers), Police Regulations 1995
RTSRecruit Training School, Hendon.
SEESkills Evaluation Exercise
SOSpecialist Operations
SO5Child Protection
SSDUStudent Support and Development Unit, part of the Recruit Training School
White NotesStudy material that Student Police Constables are given to learn from
WWAUWritten Work Assessment Unit






 
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Prepared 14 March 2005