Police-Encounters-With-People-In-Crisis

armed units—approximately 10% of the 30,000 member police service—are issued
firearms. When CEWs were first introduced in London, they were similarly issued only
to armed “reactionary force” units—less than 10% of total officers in the service.
59. London’s armed units are deployed to an incident only by command supervisors.
In planning the appropriate response to a situation, supervisors consider human rights
legislation and the objective of doing everything possible before resorting to the use of
force. First responders are equipped with batons and pepper spray (but not firearms),
and rely more on verbal communication than weapons to resolve crisis situations when
there is insufficient time for an armed unit to attend the scene.
60. Incidents involving subjects with firearms in London are relatively infrequent,
compared to the situation in North American cities. Police officers in London are trained
that anyone with a firearm may be a person in crisis, triggering the need to gather more
information about the issues facing the person, to establish a rapport with the
individual, and to call in negotiators if necessary. First responders are trained to spend
time building rapport with a person for the further purpose of delaying the situation
long enough for supervisors and special units to attend the scene and determine the
options for resolution. To facilitate information gathering, London police have access to
a 24/7 phone line that can provide health records and diagnoses about an individual
who has been involved with the mental health system. Mental health nurses are also
available in the police communications control room to advise first responders remotely
on what to expect from a subject based on the information retrieved from health
records, and how best to approach the person.
61. The Metropolitan Police Service has created a separate Territorial Support Group
that, among other roles, responds to incidents involving edged weapons. This Group is
not armed with firearms, but is equipped with shields and CEWs. Group members
receive special public order training, which includes techniques for de-escalation and
overpowering an armed subject without resort to a firearm or other weapon. Notably, in
London, unless there is evidence of a broader risk to the public, police with firearms are
typically not deployed to situations involving edged weapons.
62. London has a mandatory debriefing policy that requires debriefing after all
incidents involving serious injury or death, including debrief paperwork that must be
filed by a unit commander after any situation in which an armed unit was deployed.
Supervisors are responsible for debriefing junior officers to identify both individual
training and organizational learning opportunities. 56 However, the Review learned that
there is conflict between the Metropolitan Police Service and its Independent Police
Complaints Commissioner with respect to the disclosure of debriefing materials in
criminal proceedings, a tension that is addressed in Chapter 8 (Supervision).
56
Note also that Metropolitan Police officers are subject to a two-year probationary period, and officers must have a minimum of
five years’ experience before they can volunteer for any armed unit.
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