A Constructive Critique of the Officer Safety Programme Used in England and Wales

Traditionally, officer safety has not been taken seriously enough for police officers to receive regular training in the use of force. However, this changed in the early 1990s, when the officer safety programme was initiated as a result of a perceived increase in assaults against police officers. Currently, police officers undergo officer safety training at a level and regularity unknown to their predecessors. Using interviews with police officers, observations of officer safety training and official documentation, this article examines the rationale behind officer safety training, while exploring its limitations. It is argued that the officer safety training is structured in a way that encourages pre-emptive uses of force, which is exacerbated by the ambiguous nature of guidelines and rules of engagement that fail to adequately regulate the use of force. Furthermore, suggestions are made for changes that will ensure officer safety, while providing greater safety and accountability to the public.