Page 15 - Top Cover Issue 18

SUMMER 2023 TOP COVER 15

and short barrelled), L104 A1
Heckler & Koch (H&K), AEP
Launcher, 762 calibre LMT rifle,
Taser T7, Benelli Supernova
Shotgun

Officers
The force prides itself on the
use of effective debriefs after
every armed deployment to
capture and take forward both
learning and best practice. With
this comes an ability to fully
recognise when officers need
support, either through training,
mentoring, coaching or through
wider support such as TRIM for
more personal or impactive
matters unique to
those individuals.
Policing is tough and officers
are often required to deal with
conflict in dynamic situations. In
the vast majority of situations,
these are resolved using carefully
selected language, body
language and by managing
human interaction.
While our AFOs attend
numerous incidents each year,
they are expertly trained in
advanced levels of conflict
resolution and de-escalation
which mean that it is incredibly
rare for an officer to have to
discharge their firearm in order
to achieve a peaceful conclusion.
More extreme situations require
varying degrees of physical force,
including, on occasions, the use of
firearms by AFOs.
This necessary response is a
well-established approach and
always taken in a proportionate focused on in any narrative about under pressure. The firearm is a
manner. Our firearms officers the role of AFOs. tool in the armoury in protecting
are expertly trained to Crucially what is often always the public, but the most important
assess situations, analyse the overlooked – but equally pertinent element is the mind.
circumstances and determine the to the role – is a strong and Taking all possible eventualities
most appropriate course of action analytic mind. Firearms officers into consideration, assessing the
to protect the public. require the ability to process information available, measuring
It’s hard to miss the obvious in significant amounts of information the risks and determining the best
this role – firearms. And indeed dynamically and then take course of action. All before the
this is often the one thing overtly reasoned and defensible action use of a firearm.