I recently posted an article on Linked about an article which appeared in the Guardian ‘North Wales Police Officer punching incident’.
Well, the post attracted over 6,000 views with lots of very balanced and descriptive comments.
Some challenging whilst others supported the video clip showing the officer punching someone whilst on the ground.
Her (now His) Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies (HMIC) previously published a report highlighting that the safety of police officers is of paramount importance.
The report also assessed the performance and practices of police forces, identifying areas for improvement and providing recommendations about the content and training time officers should be receiving.
Using Techniques Outside of The Training Programme
One of the comments highlighted the fact that the police officer punching the man was not following police training.
In short, police officers are not trained to ‘punch people in the face’ as part of the officer safety training programme.
Punching someone in the face is also not in the police training manual either.
The Question
So this raises the question, if someone uses a technique outside of the training providers and organisations agreed training programme, are they acting unreasonably and should they be disciplined for not following the training programme and for using skills that fall outside of the scope of the agreed training programme?
Firstly, all use of force incidents should be properly reviewed and investigated.
However, no training programme can provide all of the necessary skills required to cover every type of situation that someone may come across.
Every Other Training System Is Limited By Design
Therefore, most every other training system is limited by what it offers, because from time to time situations will arise that couldn’t have been foreseen, which will require a police officer or member of staff to act on their own initiative.
And this is where a lot of training courses fail.
They fail because they are too prescriptive.
And that can end up with someone being disciplined for possibly not doing any wrong (ie. acting reasonably in the circumstances) but simply because they didn’t stick to the limitations of the agreed training programme.
I’ve been involved with a number of cases where this has happened.
In some cases, the employer who disciplined and dismissed staff, have lost at industrial tribunals and had to pay a hefty fine.
So if a trainer or manager every tells you that you can only use what you have been taught, they are sadly mistaken.
What The Law Provides
This is because the law allows all law abiding citizens to use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances as they honestly believe them to be.
Therefore, the training manual is therefore a manual of guidance only and the training course can only be based on what is ‘reasonably foreseeable’.
What the law requires is that employers plan for the extremes of behaviour which staff may be expected to manage and provide training that includes techniques that can manage such behaviour effectively, whilst also providing them with the judgement, skill and knowledge to be able to deal with situations that are exceptional, e.g., that cannot be planned for, by allowing staff the ability to use reasonable force.
This is why it is imperative that staff are trained to a competent standard un understanding what reasonable force means so that they can use their judgement, discretion and skill when presented with situations that can’t be planned for.
This Is Where We Are Different From The Rest
Our training has a very in-depth legal component to it, possibly more so than any other physical intervention and self-defence training course of its kind anywhere else in the UK.
We train and assess those we train on the law in relation to reasonable force to a competent standard so that they can go away and teach those they teach what the law actually allows.
We also support our trainers post course too, in numerous ways.
One thing we offer is that if someone is challenged with using force we will independently review the incident and provide a report based on whether or not what the individual did was reasonable in the circumstances.
This can save you a lot of wasted time and effort.
I say this because I have personally been involved as an expert witness on the use of force in writing hundreds of reports for court on the use of force as well as providing expertise to the court and the jury in civil and criminal trials as well as in industrial tribunals.
Sadly, many managers who investigate a workplace use of force incident do not have the depth and breadth of knowledge in this area, so any report or investigation is likely to be flawed.
And this leaves the organisation, and the management open to liability (as in the cases where an employee has taken them to an industrial tribunal as mentioned earlier on).
This Is Why You Should Seriously Consider Training With Us
This is one of the major reasons why you should seriously consider training with us if you are thinking of becoming a properly qualified physical intervention and/or breakaway and self-defence trainer.
Also, if you are already a physical intervention and/or breakaway and self-defence trainer, our BTEC Level 3 Trainer Award courses are not only great CPD (continual professional development) for you, but they’ll get you a unique BTEC Level 3 Award qualification too.
BTEC Educational Training Qualifications
Our training is quality assured and will provide you with the legal, medical and duty-of-care comprehension related to supporting and managing whilst maintaining the highest of standards.
If you have a passion and desire to support people and want to formally take your professional knowledge the next level and receive a training qualification to teach others, this course is the only course for you.
You may already be a qualified trainer seeking to upskill your knowledge and understanding by taking one or more of the additional qualifications we offer (see what additional awards you can take further down the page).
Legally Defensible and Medically Reviewed Courses That Support You
Our programmes have undergone a robust medical review and are legally defensible.
Furthermore, following your course with us we remain on-hand to provide you with any support, advise or guidance you may need (as previously discussed).
Read on to learn more about courses taking place during September 2023
BTEC Level 3 Restraint Instructor Award Course
Now, the first course is our BTEC Level 3 Restraint Instructor Award Course, and that’s running between the 4th to 8th of September.
It’s a five-day residential course, and all of your food and accommodation for the full duration of that course is included in your investment.
Therefore you don’t have to pay for any hotels, or any food or meals, or anything else, so it’s a great deal.
The other benefit of this course is you can take additional awards on this course as well.
You can take the following Awards:
- The BTEC Level 3 Award in The Delivery of Conflict Management Training;
- The BTEC Level 3 Education and Training Award (an entry level teaching qualification).
- The BTEC Level 3 Deliverers of Physical Intervention To The private Security Industry Award (if you are looking to deliver physical intervention on the door supervisors license to practice award course;
- BTEC Level 3 Handcuff Instructor Award qualification;
- BTEC Level 3 Award in Self-Defence Instruction;
All of these Awards require you to do pre-course work, but that means that you can leave the five-day course with a number of BTEC Level 3 Instructor qualifications.
This puts you ahead of your competition.
It also makes you very attractive in the marketplace!
It’s literally a business in a box for you!
Now, if you’re a trainer already, this is a great course for you to get some enhanced qualifications.
But don’t just take my word for it.
Have a look at the testimonials about what people say about our courses and you can then make up your mind for yourself.
You can view the testimonials and reviews here – https://nfps.info/physical-intervention-trainer-course/
If you are an organisation who are currently paying for trainers to come into your organisation to train your staff (a school, an academy, a care home, a healthcare organisation, or security company) why don’t you consider sending one or two of your people onto our trainer’s course so you have your own in-house trainers?
The Benefits To You Of Doing This
The benefits to you of doing this is:
- a) It reduces your training costs;
- b) You haven’t got to rely on organising dates with an external training provider;
- c) It’s much more flexible because you can run training whenever you wish to do so;
- d) And all this saves you a lot of money too!
So there’s a number of major benefits in you actually sending people to us to train as trainers who can come back and deliver your own training in-house for you.
And, by the way, if you want to train other people, if you want your trainers to deliver training to other organisations, we have no restrictions on that either.
BTEC Level 3 Self-Defence Instructor Award Course
Now, the other course I want to tell you about is our BTEC Level 3 Self-Defence Instructor Award Course.
This course is taking place during 30th September to 1st October, again, at Lilleshall National Sports Centre.
The cost of your course includes overnight accommodation for the first night and all your meals and refreshments whilst you’re there.
And you come away from the course with a BTEC Level 3 Award in Self-Defence Instruction.
So if you’re looking to teach self-defence in your community, or you’re looking to provide breakaway and disengagement training for any type of organisation, schools, healthcare organisations, care agencies, security companies, this is a great course for you.
It’s only two days, and it’s over a weekend, so it’s great, it’s flexible, most people can attend.
Well, that’s all I want to say for now.
What To Do Next
If you’re interested in finding out more, then please click on the links below.
Get in touch with me, drop me an email, give me a call or book a 30-minute meeting.
My direct number is 07800 904551
My email is: [email protected]
To book a 30 Minute Free No Obligation Strategy Call click here – https://uv159.infusionsoft.app/app/form/web-form-submitted33
If we’re busy on calls supporting others, we’ll certainly get back to you!
Thanks ever so much for listening, and, hopefully, we’ll see you on one of the two courses.
The Links To The Courses Are Below
BTEC Level 3 Physical Restraint Instruction Award Course – www.nfps.info/physical-intervention-trainer-course.
BTEC level 3 Self Defence Instructor Award Course – www.nfps.info/self-defence-trainer.
Alternatively contact me directly on 07800 904551 or fill out a contact us form on this page and we’ll get back to you – https://nfps.info/contact-nfps/