Operational Safety and Use of Force Policy

Purpose. This policy sets the principles for operational safety and the lawful, necessary and proportionate use of force by members of the service.

1.Purpose

This policy states how members will keep themselves, the public and persons in their care safe during policing activities. It applies to every sworn member and protective services officer at every site. It must be read with the Custody Management Procedure and the Incident Scene Management Procedure.

2.Principles

Force must only be used when it is lawful, necessary and proportionate to the risk presented. Members will use communication and de-escalation first and will withdraw or contain where that is the safer option. The safety of all people, including the person being dealt with, is the first consideration in every tactical decision.

• Lawful: a clear power exists
• Necessary: no reasonable alternative is available
• Proportionate: the least force that will achieve the aim
• Accountable: every use of force is reported and reviewed

3.Responsibilities

The District Superintendent must ensure that members are trained, equipped and reviewed. Supervisors must review every use of force report within fourteen days and must escalate any report that indicates a policy breach or an injury. Members must maintain their operational safety training currency and must report every use of force before the end of shift.

4.Operational safety tactics

Members will apply the operational safety principles taught in mandatory training: cover, contain, communicate and control. Members must wear issued protective equipment on operational duties and must activate body worn cameras at the start of every interaction that is likely to involve the exercise of a power. Members will conduct a dynamic risk assessment on arrival at every incident and will call for additional resources rather than act alone where the risk is high.

5.Reporting and review

Every use of force must be recorded on the Use of Force Report Form and linked to the incident record before the member goes off duty. The reviewing supervisor will check the body worn camera footage, the incident record and any injury records. Findings will be recorded in the incident log and reported to the quarterly governance meeting in de-identified form.

6.Wellbeing

Members involved in a use of force incident will be offered a welfare check by their supervisor and access to the peer support program. Supervisors must monitor fatigue and exposure to traumatic incidents and will adjust rosters where a member needs relief. Wellbeing support is confidential and does not form part of any performance record.