Federation: Officers must be aware of Post Incident process

OFFICERS must be aware of post incident procedures now more than ever before, Essex Police Federation has stressed.

The procedures (PIPs) are in place to ensure officers know what steps need to be taken should someone die or be seriously injured following police contact.

While they used to be the domain of firearms and specialist units the worst-case scenario could happen to any officer, Steve Taylor, Chairman of Essex Police Federation said.

The Federation has produced a video outlining how vital they are and outlining to officers the process. This is shown at officer safety training and to new recruits.

“The underlying message is that post-incident procedure is no longer the exclusive domain of the specialist,” he said.

“It could happen to any officer, at any time and therefore it’s something that we should all be aware of.

“Whilst we should have every confidence in the process and in those practitioners to guide officers through, because of our role it is a risky area for officers, not least of which because there’s an organisation (the IOPC) out there who are watching and can cause difficulties for officers.”

Essex is well served by legal teams who understand the process Steve added, particularly key as the number of PIPs carried out will increase.

“In legal terms for police work in general, be that misconduct, post-incident procedure and the other elements we are very, very well served in Essex by THB local solicitors who lead the country in terms of post-incident procedure and misconduct.

“The H from THB, Mr Haldane, he teaches other solicitors in this subject, so we’re very well served in Essex.”

The Federation PIP video was shown to colleagues from across the UK at the recent national PIP Conference.

“The more vulnerable people that we come into contact with the higher the chance that something unfortunate may happen while we’re in contact with them,” Steve added.

“That, coupled with an increasing level of apparently independent scrutiny by the IOPC, means, by definition, we are going to find ourselves in more post-incident procedures.”

“We just have to be alive to the scrutiny, alive to the processes that are put in place in order to help us achieve best evidence, whilst at the same time preserving officers as regards to risk that they face.”

It can understandably be a difficult time for officers having to deal with the worst-case scenario, that’s why even a basic knowledge of PIPs is vital Steve said.

“We’re pushing the PIPs video, we’re trying to get it seen by more people, we’re trying to up the basic knowledge.

“You don’t have to know all the ins and outs of it, we’ve got practitioners for that. You just need to be able to recognise what one is and what you need to do about it if you think you’re in that situation.”