Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what independent oversight mechanisms are in place for monitoring policing incidents involving the use of force on (a) elderly and (b) vulnerable people.

The Government is clear that any use of force must be reasonable, proportionate and necessary in all circumstances and officers are accountable through the law for their actions.

Before being deployed all officers must pass comprehensive training in Public and Personal Safety which must be refreshed annually. Training reinforces the importance of legitimacy in police use of force at every level and trains officers to factor in the potential vulnerabilities of a person, including their size and age. Training is aimed at de-escalating the situation wherever possible to prevent harm.

Where de-escalation is not possible, officers use their training and experience in line with the National Decision-Making Model to decide on the most appropriate use of force in the circumstances. The National Decision-Making Model has been adopted by police as a framework for ensuring any decisions can be effectively evaluated and challenged where necessary.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary inspect police forces on their use of force as part of their regular PEEL (police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy) programme of inspections.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigate where serious injury is caused following police contact, and when complaints are made.