Home Office Working Group - Police use of firearms
01 January 1991
Home Office Working Group - Police use of firearms
bacdoc March=1992
[See also: Guidelines for the police use on the issue and use of
firearms; bacdoc March=1992]
Membership of the Home Office Working Group on Police Use of
Firearms, whose formation was announced by the Home Secretary on
26 February 1986, is at Annex A. The Working Croup's terms of
reference are at Annex B.
2. The Working Group has met on six occasions and has reviewed
all relevant aspects of the policy and procedures relating to the
issue to and use by the police of firearms. Although the bulk
of the Working Group's deliberations focused on the particular
areas detailed in their terms of reference, they also considered
other matters where these were judged to require examination.
3. In response to the Home Secretary's invitation to police
authorities and other organisations or individuals to submit
their views for the Working Group's consideration twelve such
submissions were received. A list of those who submitted
evidence is at Annex C. The Working Group was grateful for these
contributions and for the interest in this important subject
shown by those who wrote to them.
4. The Working Group's report contains 36 recommendations and
10 conclusions. These are listed in full at Annexes D and E
respectively. The Working Group noted that a number of the
recommendations they have made have formed part of good practice
in many police forces for some time past and it should not be
assumed that because recommendations have been made on particular
aspects serious fault has necessarily been found with those
aspects. Their aim is rather to spread best practice to all
police forces in England and Wales.
5. As a result of the Working Group's work it has been
necessary to revise the Home Office Guidelines for the Police on
the Issue and Use of Firearms. A copy of the revised Guidelines
is at Annex F. These have been sent to all chief officers of
police and replace those placed in the Library of the House on
31 March 1983.
Home Office
February 1987
ANNEX A
HOME OFFICE WORKING GROUP ON POLICE USE OF FIREARMS
Chairman
Mr H J A Partridge, Home Office
Members
Mr K G Oxford, Chief Constable, Merseyside Police
Mr C J Anderton, Chief Constable, Greater Manchester Police
Mr C R Ormerod, Asst Chief Constable, Devon & Cornwall
Constabulary
Mr H N Annesley, Assistant Commissioner Metropolitan Police
Chief Superintendent D L Williams, Superintendents' Association
Mr L Curtis, Police Federation
Brigadier J L Pownall, Police Complaints Authority
Mr J H Brownlow, Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary
Mr D R E Bicknell, Assistant to Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of
Constabulary
Chief Superintendent J R Wells, Metropolitan Police, Technical
Adviser
Mr A N Rapsey, Home Office
Mr R A Harrington, Home Office
Mr A Harding, Home Office
Mr R S Sim, Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary (Scotland),
Observer. Mr K W McKay, Scottish Home and Health Department,
Observer.
Mr C E Birt, Home Office (Secretary)
ANNEX B
HOME OFFICE WORKING GROUP ON POLICE USE OF FIREARMS
Terms of Reference
lo examine the policy and procedures relating to the issue to and
use by the police of firearms in England and Wales with
particular regard to the selection and training of police
officers for firearms duties; the criteria for authorisation to
issue firearms for particular operations; the relevant
instructions and guidelines; the planning, briefing for and
supervision of armed operations; and the choice of weapons and
ammunition; and to make recommendations.
ANNEX C