Notice

Subjects at distance scenarios

Updated 18 September 2020

1. Less Lethal Subjects at Distance Scenarios

1.1 Self-Harming Individual

Example 1

Situation: A subject armed with a handgun presents himself to a police station armoured security checkpoint holding a firearm to his head and threatening to harm himself. He then runs away and armed response vehicles are tasked to locate the subject.

Number of subjects: 1

Number of bystanders/hostages: None

Location: In a park area where no other members of the public are present. Officers have clear line of sight, but are behind ballistic cover.

Stand-off range: 15m

Number of officers present: There are two Less Lethal Options teams each consisting of one officer with a conventional firearm and two Less Lethal Option officers.

Effect required: Disarm subject or distract subject long enough to enable officers to close range.

Outcome required: Individual is prevented from self-harming.

1.2 HM Prisons & Probation

Background: HMPPS currently use irritant spray or, in the most serious of circumstances, the use of pyrotechnic distraction devices for distance control. There is now a desire to extend the range of tactical options available to a small selected number of specialist staff.

Example 2:

Situation: On an exercise yard of approximately 30 x 30 metres, a group of four prisoners are taking the daily period out of cell. The area is enclosed and supervised from outside by staff. Unexpectedly three of the prisoners attack one individual in a sudden violent manner that results in the victim being observed lying unconscious on the ground. The perpetrators brandish an array of weapons and periodically continue to administer violent actions on the victim.

Number of subjects: 3

Number of bystanders/hostages: 1

Location: Controlled environment. No other people within 30m of incident.

Stand-off range: 30m

Number of officers present: 2

Effect required: Incapacitate all 3 subjects simultaneously. Effect should last long enough to allow officers to close distance and restrain attackers.

Outcome required: Prevent further harm to victim, minimise risk to prison officers.

Example 3

Situation: On a residential wing, during an act of concerted indiscipline (riot), prisoners make a sustained attempt to breach rooms where they are not allowed. The group causes substantial damage within the wing.

Number of subjects: Multiple.

Number of bystanders/hostages: 2

Location: Within a prison wing.

Stand-off range: 20m +

Number of officers present: National Tactical Support, up to 15.

Effect required: Distract multiple subjects at once from causing further damage and give adequate cover to allow entry to gain compliance, and perform snatch rescue where some prisoners are at risk.

Outcome required: Prevent further damage.

1.3 National Crime Agency (NCA)

Example 4

Situation: Offices are executing a warrant at a multi occupational residency where intelligence suggests firearms may be on the premises.

Number of subjects: Multiple.

Number of bystanders/hostages: Multiple.

Location: Multi occupational property with several access and egress points.

Stand-off range: 20m +

Number of officers present: 20

Effect required: To allow entry of officers, providing cover and allowing for subjects covered by the warrant to be separated and detained.

Outcome required: Executing of warrant to detain certain subjects.

1.4 Police Public Order

Example 5

Situation: A demonstration in a city centre where several opposing groups are represented, one of which has some hard line infiltrators who are wanting to cause disorder in order to undermine the group. The majority of the demonstrators are peaceful and the crowd includes children and older people.

Number of subjects: Multiple, hundreds.

Number of bystanders/hostages: Multiple of various ages.

Location: Within a city centre.

Stand off range: 20m + the further the distance the better.

Number of officers present: 22.

Effect required: Prevent disorder from breaking out by identifying and separating out hard line protesters from those peacefully demonstrating whilst maintaining distance. Prevention of disorder breaking out by being able to target individuals amongst the crowd without impacting on nearby bystanders.

Outcome required: Allow for peaceful protest.

1.5 Armed Police

Example 6

Situation: A planned operation to arrest a subject wanted for the attempted murder of a member of a rival organised crime group. The subject has used a handgun to shoot the victim who was working behind the counter in a take away food shop. He arrived outside the shop as a pillion passenger on a motorcycle. The two suspects had then made off on the motorcycle. The subject was already on bail for other violent offences involving the use of a knife, including one where he had threatened unarmed officers. He was required to sign on at a police station during the evenings, and it was not known where he was living. The police station reception is a public place where other members of the public would be. He did arrive, alone on the motorcycle, but did not remove his helmet whilst signing on, and was wearing a thick leather jacket and several layers of clothing beneath.

Number of subjects: 1

Number of bystanders/hostages: 3

Location: Within a police station reception area.

Stand-off range: 5m +

Number of officers present: 6

Effect required: Separate and detain possibly armed subject within a small public space without impacting nearby individuals.

Outcome required: Detain possibly armed subject.

Example 7

Situation: A spontaneous incident where the subject has shot his dog with a shotgun in his house, turned his music system up extremely loud, and is threatening a neighbour with the shotgun in the back garden. Armed officers attend and contain the house and attempt to negotiate with him. No one else is inside as far as could be ascertained. Trained negotiators continue to attempt negotiation for a protracted period, in which the subject continues to drink and take drugs and repeatedly comes to the (open) front door of the premises with the shotgun. The subject is slightly built and in his late fifties, and in general poor health due to drink and drug misuse. Officers on containment positions approximately 25 to 30m.

Number of subjects: 1

Number of bystanders/hostages: 0

Location: A residential property in a street.

Stand-off range: 25m +

Number of officers present: 4

Effect required: To incapacitate and detain armed subject within a residential address.

Outcome required: Detain heavily armed subject without him harming himself or others.

Example 8

Situation: Spontaneous incident where the subject has gone to the home address of his estranged wife in a small block of flats where she lives on the third floor. When she opened the door he dragged her out of the flat and pulled her into the stairwell. Neighbours called police, who on arrival find the subject sitting on the stairs with the victim sat about two steps below him, with his left arm around her neck and a knife in his right hand held directly against her throat. Officers who arrived attempt to negotiate with him. Officers have no ability to get behind him on the stairs, and the incident escalates with repeated threats to stab the victim in the neck.

Location: Residential complex within concrete and confined stairwell.

Stand-off range: 15m+

Number of officers present: 4

Effect required: Separate subject from hostage without them being harmed, and detain and disarm them in a very confined space with concrete surroundings.

Outcome required: Detain subject without him harming the hostage.