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Of the complaints you've seen made against officers for things like stop and search, use of force, and arrests, how many are justified or at least partly justified (maybe the officer is in the right but you can see why the complaint was made) compared to completely unjustified complaints with no grounds whatsoever? What happens to an officer if they carry out an unreasonable search, complaint is made, and the complaint is upheld/the person reviewing the BWV agrees the grounds for that search were not there. I'm assuming it can depend on a few things, such as if it's the first such incident for that officer, was it blatantly unreasonable or just pushing the boundaries a little bit.

This does not make good reading for the police service. I know it’s the opening of the prosecution’s case and I wasn’t there - and I don’t know if there’s footage - but head kicks need serious justification post TASER being deployed.

Hi. I am currently 5 months into training and recently undertaken PST course. As part of the course you need to complete a use of force role play scenario to gain a pass. You get 3 goes at the role play and need to show various signs to gain that pass. I struggle with role play and haven't been used to conflict but when have had dealt with it okay in normal life. I am on the 3rd go and been told if don't pass this time will be made redundant. It is making me worry as got so far and have a family to provide for. Is this true? Thanks in advance.

A John Lewis security guard lost his job after video showed him dragging a customer out of a shop by his neck. https://metro.co.uk/2019/08/26/john-lewis-security-guard-drags-new-dad-neck-shops-baby-clothes-10632125/ Even if he was using abusive and threatening language (which he says he wasn't) presumably dragging him out of the store by the neck is a complete no no? Doesn't seem like a proportionate use of force? Plus shouldn't the guard be carrying out a citizen's arrest and retaining him rather than dragging him out of the store if he's done something illegal??? Two sides to every story of course, but this doesn't seem right!

Metropolitan Police officers are four times more likely to use force against black people compared with the white population, new figures suggest. The Met used force 62,000 times in 2017-18 with more than a third of incidents involving black people. Techniques such as verbal instructions and using firearms were recorded. The Met Police said: "The proportionate use of force is essential in some circumstances to protect the public and often themselves from violence." Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said the "disproportionate use of force is discriminatory". Full Story

Police Federation says it has worked to ensure the form is beneficial for officers and the service. A new form which must be used by all officers will help ensure they are not placed in a difficult position after a use of force incident, the Police Federation says. The Home Office says from April 1 2017, all officers must record any use of force in the same way, regardless of where they work. During the consultation process for the new form the Fed adds it has worked to ensure the burden on members is as minimal as possible. “We also wanted to make sure that once all this data is collected, it will be used as constructively as possible for officers across the country,” said Simon Kempton, the Federation’s lead for operational policing. “For the first time, we will have robust data from all forces demonstrating which techniques and equipment really work and which do not. “We will make sure that this information is used to change things like Officer Safety Training to reflect what we – the members – need to do our job properly. At the same time, if certain equipment isn’t up to the standard we need, we will now have an evidence base to show this.” Changes to the form made by the Federation included ‘were you injured during the incident?’ being amended to ‘do you believe you were injured during the incident?’ which it states protects officers if they subsequently learn they were injured but it wasn’t apparent at the time and they have a potential claim which could be undermined. It also insisted changing ‘was the subject suffering from a mental illness at the time of the incident?’ to ‘do you think the subject may have been suffering from some form of mental illness?’ as officers should not be expected to make such an assessment. The new form asks whether the officer is authorised to carry Taser, whether it was being carried at the time and whether the officer was single crewed, questions which the federation states will provide “invaluable evidence” when they argue that single crewing and a lack of Taser is dangerous for both the public and the officer. “When refuting accusations levelled at us of using excessive force, we will now be able to argue, with solid evidence, that in comparison to the huge numbers of incidents we attend, we rarely have to resort to using force,” said Mr Kempton. “Furthermore, the Federation will be able to use this data to demonstrate that if we are placed in a position when we must use force that we always try to use the lowest level of force available to us.” HMIC will be measuring whether the forms are being completed as part of their inspection schedule. View on Police Oracle

A security guard has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after an alleged shoplifter he tackled was fatally injured by bottles he was carrying. The 30-year-old suffered "significant injury" and a cardiac arrest in the altercation in The Shires car park in Trowbridge on Thursday afternoon. He was treated by paramedics but died at the scene, police said. The 20-year-old security guard, from Trowbridge, was arrested shortly after. Det Ch Insp Jeremy Carter said: "He tackled the suspected shoplifter causing a number of glass bottles he was concealing to smash. "This caused a significant injury to the man, who despite the best efforts from paramedics, sadly died," Mr Carter said. It is believed he suffered stomach injuries. "The man who died, who was of no fixed address, was suspected of committing a number of shoplifting offences in the town," added Mr Carter. "Formal identification is yet to be carried out and a post mortem is due to be carried out later today [Friday]." An Asda spokesman told BBC News its security staff were not involved. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-38932180 Posted for the interest factor - there are often discussions about non-police security guards & shop security etc and their use of force.

Hello all once again. I've got another question that I have to ask, then I'll stop pestering you all for today :-) I know that self defence is taught and offered to all officers, but when it comes to applying it in reality, is there a limit as to what you should or shouldn't do (at the risk of being sued for assault etc). In my story, an officer has his basic defence training, but he's also skilled in Krav Maga. He only ever uses KM reluctantly but in his situation, it's necessary (he's dealing with an extremely dangerous 'junkie' that's coming at him and his colleague with a knife. A machete in fact! So I just wanted to see what the general view is on excessive force?

More than 400 children have had tasers drawn on them by police in England and Wales in 2013, figures obtained by the BBC show. The Home Office Taser database, seen by BBC Radio 5 live, shows a 38% increase on 2012 in the number of children who had a taser aimed at them. Tasers were fired 37 times at 10 to 17-year-olds. Ex-Home Secretary David Blunkett, who introduced Tasers, called for a review. The Home Office said Theresa May has asked for a review of Taser usage. The figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request show the youngest person to have a Taser aimed at them was 11, while the youngest person fired on was 14. The oldest person to have one pointed at them was 85 and the oldest person actually fired on was 82. The Home Office has not released Taser statistics broken down by age before, and warns that they are not wholly reliable because the age figures may be police estimates. Tasers fire dart-like electrodes into a person's body and are used to incapacitate suspects. Training urged Speaking to 5 live, Mr Blunkett called for chief constables and police and crime commissioners in England and Wales to look at who was authorised to use Tasers and whether there were alternatives. "I think it's time for a review that incorporates the use of Tasers with advice and support on how to deal with difficult situations," he said. "For a youngster, 11 years old, a Taser is not in my view an appropriate way of dealing with a situation which clearly must have been out of hand, but where we need to train people to use much more traditional alternatives." The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) says under-18s are involved in a lot of violent crime, and that any use has to be justifiable in court. Commander Neil Basu said he did not want to comment on individual cases but it was important to understand the circumstances surrounding the use of a Taser. "We have to remember that children can commit violent crime too. The police are paid to intervene in those situations and Taser can be an appropriate use of force," he said. "If that 14-year-old is committing a violent act towards a member of the public or to an officer, or if they are self-harming, then our job is to make sure that that stops in the safest way possible. "And in certain circumstances, Taser is that option." What's it like to be tasered? Daniel Dove was 22 when he was tasered in a police cell in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. He says it was for flicking his underpants at a police officer during a strip search. He had been arrested for being drunk and disorderly and assault, but the case was later dropped. "I'd say it's like being shocked by a cattle fence, but 50,000 times stronger," he said. "I felt like I was paralysed… I couldn't move my hand or my body. "It wasn't a very nice experience to have." The officer involved was later charged with assault and misconduct, but cleared by a jury at Bristol Crown Court. Iain Gould, a solicitor at DPP Law, who has been involved in a number of cases involving claims of inappropriate use of Tasers, said his concern was "mission creep" as they become more commonly used. "Several years ago, Tasers were deployed to certain trained firearms officers," he said. "We now have a situation where routine rank-and-file officers are being given Tasers to use. "My concern is that it has got out of hand and what we are seeing is effectively militarisation by stealth." 'Emotional subject' That is not a description Commander Neil Basu said he recognised. "I disagree with that entirely, but I do know it is a concern," he said. "This is a very emotional subject but police forces, police officers using force, that is one of our absolute key responsibilities that the public have chosen to give us. "And if we choose to abuse that then we would lose the power. "There are no people more accountable than firearms and Taser-trained officers. So if an officer uses that power inappropriately, absolutely they should be held accountable to the law." According to Home Office guidance, only authorised firearms officers and specially trained units can use Tasers. Officers trained in the use of Tasers must consider the vulnerability of the individual and factors such as age and stature form part of this assessment. A Home Office spokesman said: "The home secretary has been clear that the use of sensitive police powers, such as stop and search, mental health and the use of force, warrant proper accountability and transparency to ensure that they are being used appropriately. Terror threat "Taser is an important tactical option to help specially trained police officers resolve potentially violent situations safely, but it is right that its use is subject to the same level of scrutiny." He said a review by Chief Constable David Shaw would look at how Taser is being used, who it is being used on and what the outcomes are." In January, the Police Federation voted for all front-line police in England and Wales to be offered Tasers in light of the increased terrorism threat. Head of the federation, Steve White, said the devices would help protect against "dangerous people" who could be preparing to attack officers. However some critics, including Christopher Salmon, a Welsh police and crime commissioner, said the move would be a mistake. Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31608320 I particularly like this part: "For a youngster, 11 years old, a Taser is not in my view an appropriate way of dealing with a situation which clearly must have been out of hand, but where we need to train people to use much more traditional alternatives." Ah yes, those more traditional alternatives, such as being beaten with a large steel bar.

A man who was sprayed in the face with CS gas by police officers has been awarded a £21,000 compensation pay-out. Essex Police agreed the out-of-court settlement to Alan Lethbridge but has not apologised. Mr Lethbridge, 34, of Romford, said he has had mental health problems since being sprayed during his arrest in Brentwood High Street in 2009. The former builder said he hoped to "rebuild his life" with the money and work again. Mr Lethbridge bought a van with part of his compensation money and is about to return to work, as a delivery driver, for the first time since his arrest. "The money just doesn't do it justice and it wasn't about the money," he said. "It was about the principle that I hadn't done anything in the first place. "It's just a relief that it is all finished with, but it's disappointing that I never got an apology." Defensive skills training In 2010 the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigated and decided Mr Lethbridge's arrest was lawful, but the two people who were sprayed with CS gas should have been given a clear warning. A TV cameraman filmed the CS spray being discharged close to Mr Lethbridge's face. Following the IPCC inquiry, the three police officers involved went on a defensive skills training refresher course and the officer who deployed the CS spray was given advice on its use. The Crown Prosecution Service had previously decided the officers should not face any criminal charges. Mr Lethbridge was convicted for spitting in the face of a paramedic in April 2010, but it was quashed after an appeal. Charges of being drunk and disorderly and using threatening words or behaviour were dropped. "For the five to six years I've been on anti-depressants, the doctors diagnosed me with post-traumatic stress disorder and I've been having counselling," said Mr Lethbridge. "My life has been complete hell for the past five years." Essex Police told BBC Look East it would not issue an apology as Mr Lethbridge's complaint to Essex Police was not upheld by the IPCC. Source here with video