operation plato - West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner

AgendaItem10OPERATION PLATO – UPDATEProtective Services Committee19 April 2012Report of the Chief ConstablePURPOSE OF REPORT1. In February 2011 the Authority received a presentation on Operation Plato delivered jointly bystaff from Operations and the Counter Terrorism Unit. The purpose of this report is to provide afollow up to that presentation. Much of the information is confidential and should not bediscussed in the public domain. The details that can be made public are detailed below. A reporton the private section of the agenda provides further details which is restricted to Police Authoritymembers onlyBACKGROUND2. The National Risk Assessment of 2009 first identified and described an extreme threat as thepossibility of indiscriminate shooting by terrorists for a period of time within a public arena causingmass casualities.3. In January 2010 a paper was presented to Chief Constables’ Council which recognised the needfor a national approach to the police response to such an extreme threat. The National ExtremeThreat Response Programme Board was established in February 2010 and has focused on threekey areas for enhanced capability and capacity; the early identification of an attack, the initialresponse by Armed Response Vehicles (ARVs) and the subsequent response by specialistfirearms resources.4. More recently the codeword ‘Operation Plato’ has been introduced to describe such an attack.This replaces the plethora of terminology previously in use and thereby avoids potential forconfusion.OPERATION PLATO5. The National Police Firearms Mobilisation Plan sets out the agreed principles for the supply ofadditional armed resources to a force under or anticipating an attack.6. West Midlands Police has uplifted its capability and capacity to deal with the possibility ofindiscriminate shooting by terrorists or non-terrorists for a period of time within a public or privatearena causing mass causalities.7. The number of Authorised Firearms Officers (AFOs) has been increased; their weaponry,ammunition and tactics have all been upgraded to deal with an attack of this nature as quicklyand effectively as possible. In addition all officers within the force and colleagues from the otherblue light services have received additional training and awareness to deal with an attack of thisnature. This enhanced capability and capacity is in line with a national plan that has improved ourability to protect the public in such circumstances.

8. All firearms commanders have received additional training to prepare them for command in thissituation. In addition Strategic Firearms Commanders have been briefed on how to access anddeploy military assets on Ministerial approval through the Military Aid to Civil Power (MACP)procedure. The Force is ready and prepared to receive Teams which would initially be deployedunder police command and control.9. Each Local Authority Chief Executive has received a confidential briefing on the state of ourcapability and capacity to deal with an attack.FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS10. All funding for the current uplift in personnel and weaponry is being funded by ACPO (TAM).There are no direct financial implications arising from this report.LEGAL IMPLICATIONS11. Section 6 of the Police Act 1996 requires the Police Authority to secure the maintenance of anefficient and effective police force for its area. Section 10 of the same Act gives the ChiefConstable direction and control of the Force subject to the general accountability to the PoliceAuthority within the scope of Section 6 and the requirements of the Policing Plan.EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS12. The Authority provides for the continuation and development of policing services for all people in theWest Midlands, irrespective of the protected characteristics of; age, disability, gender reassignment,marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexualorientation. Both the Authority and the Force are committed to delivering the principles, strategies andpriorities of their respective Equality Schemes.RECOMMENDATION13. That members note the update and that fuller confidential information will be provided in thePrivate agenda for this meeting.Chris SimsChief ConstableCONTACT OFFICERName: : Garry ForsythTitle: Assistant Chief Constable (Operations & Criminal Justice)Tel: 0346 113 5000: 7800 2017Email: g.forsyth@west-midlands.pnn.police.ukBACKGROUND DOCUMENTS