Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) finds that the police service needs to be better prepared, trained and ready to protect the public if it’s to improve upon response to public disorder, as stated in the report: ‘The Rules of Engagement: a Review of the August 2011 disorders’.
HMIC heard of many acts of bravery by officers, while commanders were thrown into managing challenging situations at short notice.
However, an official press statement issued by HMIC comments: “Over a period of relative peace, public order policing has been eroded as a priority.”
HMIC’s review found the following:
Community engagement is always the first and most effective police tactic when it comes to preventing disorder, but this faltered in Tottenham. Rumours that Mark Duggan had been ‘executed’ were not challenged publicly by the authorities soon enough.
Police training, tactics, equipment and organisation had been developed largely to deal with set-piece, single site confrontations between police and protestors. HMIC found the police were, therefore, not well prepared for the widespread, fast-moving and opportunistic criminal attacks on property which were loosely organised using social media.
While the events of last August might have been novel, HMIC warns it’s likely that this pattern of criminality (or evolutions of it) will be seen again. That being the case, an equally evolutionary police response needs to be developed.
As stated, some of those intent on disorder discussed their plans using social media. HMIC found police made some attempts to monitor these discussions in order to better target their response, but these efforts fell short of what’s possible using modern technology.
Integrated local, regional and national processes/p>
The police response in future should still be comprised of police officers who are normally engaged in other, day-to-day duties. HMIC found that a faster response may be possible through more integrated local, regional and national processes and practice.
They must be fully trained and able to switch from roles that require largely individual action and initiative to disciplined and co-ordinated collective, public order actions.
Collective action will demand common national standards for training, co-ordination, command and tactics. When a rapid and effective mobilisation must be deliverable across the country, the local variations that HMIC found cause unacceptable weaknesses in the response.
Even if police improve the speed of their mobilisation, there will always be a delay in reaching the scene in significant numbers. In extreme circumstances, where life is threatened and police numbers alone are not sufficient, police commanders must be equipped to respond with extraordinary measures.
These measures are set out in manuals but the police are not currently equipped or trained to deliver them in practice. There needs to be a public debate as to where and when police tactics involving protected vehicles, water cannon and AEPs are acceptable.
This debate needs to be informed by what is practical, affordable and likely to sustain public support.
Speedier, more self-assured response needed
HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Sir Denis O’Connor, said: “Although their initial response was hesitant, the police regained control of the streets and brought the summer disorders to an end. The approach to restoring order needs to change to enable a speedier self-assured response where the threat to the public demands it.”
He continued: “An overwhelming majority (83%) of respondents to our survey thought police action helped to bring the riots to an end; but 60% stated that this could have been done more quickly. Half (49%) thought the police did not use enough force and 43% thought that what they did was ‘about right’.”.
O’Connor went on to state: “The style of policing used on the streets needs to be affirmed through Rules of Engagement that acknowledge the law and that are agreed by debate between the police service and politicians. This should set out the circumstances in which a range of tactics can be considered.”
In closing his comments on the report, O’Connor explained: “Rules of Engagement should be part of a new national framework for resolving public disorder that sets out clear expectations around the early resolution of disorder and details of the planning required to ensure forces are prepared for national disorders.”
Mobilisation, tactics and training development
HMIC’s report suggests that there’s a need to develop police tactics, training and mobilisation:
Mobilisation
- Community engagement – always the first step in preventing disorder – faltered in Tottenham. Rumours that Mark Duggan had been ‘executed’ were not challenged publicly by the authorities soon enough.
- Police capability to anticipate disorder by, for example, monitoring social media was ad-hoc and limited.
- While some forces mobilised rapidly, others were slow to do so. It took many hours to mobilise officers in strength, particularly in London.
- Assistance between forces was often ad-hoc or informal and the call for national assistance was not triggered early enough. Although there had been some testing of mobilisation it was inadequate preparation for the reality that officers faced in August.
Tactics
- Although current guidance sets out a range of tactics for dealing with disorder, not all of these could be used in practice due to a lack of equipment and the number of officers deployed. For example, some forces ran out of shields while some vehicles did not have sufficient protection (reinforced glass or steel grilles) and police estimate they need to outnumber rioters by between three and five to one if they are to make arrests and disperse groups – this meant that arrest tactics were impossible in some circumstances.
- Views were expressed by senior politicians that police tactics were not robust enough, and a survey carried out as part of this review showed that those most directly affected were more likely to share this opinion.
- Officers and their commanders took action to bring the disorder to an end, but some erred on the safe side using less forceful tactics, standing their ground rather than going forward to tackle disorder pending the arrival of reinforcements.
Training
Some officers and commanders were uncertain about the tactics and level of force that can be used lawfully during disorder. Police had not practiced tactics of ‘going forward’ to secure arrests.
New national framework for resolving public disorder
HMIC is recommending that there should be a new national policing framework for resolving public disorder with clear objectives for early resolution (if disorder occurs) and an agreed envelope of available tactics and associated use of force that are likely to maintain public support, as set out in Rules of Engagement.
This would be supported by:
- Decisive resolution of police and IPCC communication arrangements to be used in the event of deaths attributable to the police.
- A central information ‘all source’ hub designed to draw together all available information, including direct contact with members of the community and monitoring social media to help anticipate disorder.
- Mobilisation arrangements that include enabling forces to bolster their visible presence on the streets; target times to ‘stand up’ resources; integrated regional and national plans; testing and examination of possible military support for police functions that don’t need to use force.
- Review of tactics to identify useable ‘go forward’ tactics informed by the law.
- Training – provide officers with realistic scenarios.
The HMIC states: “Such a strategic framework could add substance to the public order reference in the Strategic Policing Requirement in the same way that CONTEST and ‘Local to Global’ do for terrorism and organised crime.”
Comment from ACPO president Sir Hugh Orde
Speaking about the HMIC report, Sir Hugh Orde – president of ACPO – said: “The disorder seen on our streets in August was unprecedented and presented the police service and criminal justice system with huge challenges. It is a strength of British policing that we are willing to ask hard questions when mistakes are made, and both HMIC’s report and that of the Home Affairs Committee help us to identify the lessons.”
He continued: “The challenge remains for operational police commanders to make critical decisions within volatile and fast-moving situations. We need to support those who take on such decisions in order to keep the public safe. As HMIC recognises, any course of action must be necessary and proportionate, work in practice as well as theory, and have consent within the British model. When disorder occurs the available tactics must include the necessary hard edge to resolve situations quickly and effectively.”
In conclusion, Sir Hugh commented: “Within our model of 43 local police forces, both reports identify the capacity to gather intelligence and mobilise police officers quickly to deal with national threats as critical. More equipment and highly-trained police officers come at a cost in taking police officers away from local policing as well as monetary terms. These recommendations are not yet costed by HMIC: we will take time to consider them carefully and we look forward to talking to Government about how best the police service can respond.”