Public Order Bronze Command

The Public Order Bronze Commander is deployed to spontaneous or pre-planned public order /public safety events as a resource to enable an effective policing response and act, where needed, in a mutual aid capacity.

They will be trained and equipped in tactics as outlined within module C3 of the National Police Public Order Training Curriculum (NPPOTC).

• Possess a clear understanding of the gold commander’s strategy and the silver commander’s tactical plan in order to understand their role as a bronze commander.

• Use appropriate tactics within geographical/functional area of responsibility in order to implement the relevant part of the silver commander’s tactical plan at a public order event or operation.

• Review and test the silver commander’s tactical plan to ensure it is achievable and proportionate and, in line with their deployments, maximise opportunities to delegate areas of responsibility to unit commanders and provide those carrying out tasks sufficient independence to conduct their specific role in support of the strategy and tactical plan.

• Appoint and consult with a Public Order Tactical Advisor (POTAC), where appropriate, and remaining responsible for any decisions made following consultation, in order to test the tactical plan or inform decision making.

• Seek approval for any variation in agreed tactics within geographical/functional area of responsibility from the silver commander, to contribute to a resilient and robust command structure and to achieve strategic objectives.

• Ensure officers and staff within geographical/functional area of responsibility are compliant with all applicable national and regional guidelines and legislation and to ensure the safe and legal policing of public order events.

• Ensure that all decisions are documented in the command log and that where appropriate all officers and staff involved in the public order or event receive briefing and debriefing in order to provide a clear audit trail.

• Lead and be suitably located to maintain effective operational command of geographical/functional area of responsibility and to remain available to those under their command.

• Engage in and contribute to the debriefing process, ensuring that the PSU are fully debriefed and provided post-operational support, to ensure information is effectively transmitted and to contribute to organisational learning.

Prior education and experience:

• To access bronze public order command training the candidate must be an Inspector or above and must be of substantive rank (this will also include temporary ranks). Should the use of acting ranks be deemed necessary, this may only be for use within the relevant force area and not on mutual aid. The decision to use non substantive ranks should be documented by the respective public order gold commanding the event / operation.

• Officers must be Level 2 public order trained to the standards described in module B2 of the NPPOTC and a qualified Police Support Unit (PSU) commander. They must be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the capability and capacity of public order protective equipment.

• Complete the MLE public order command core themes e-learning module and knowledge check.

• Complete an assessed nationally approved course for public order bronze commanders delivered at a licensed centre.

• Within a 12 month (within 365 days) timeframe from successful completion of the bronze course including the assessed element, be assessed on an event where there was a risk to public safety, or the potential for disorder and complete a portfolio of work.

• Within 12 months (within 365 days), they will be required to be assessed on an event (not in a shadowing role) where there was a risk to public safety, or the potential for disorder thereby demonstrating their operational competence.

• Within 12 months (within 365 days), they will be required to successfully complete an assessed events module delivered at a licensed centre.

Or

• Existing commanders who have accredited before the 01.04.18 and have not completed a policing events course must have attended an events module before the 31.03.19. (Further information on this process can be found within: Guidance for Public Order Public Safety Command Roles Accreditation and Re-Accreditation).

Skills:

• Able to engage a variety of audiences through a range of media to inform and/or persuade.

• Able to identify potential applications of new or improved technologies related to own area of work to improve working practices.

• Able to contribute to resource planning, to manage financial budgets and using commercial acumen to make risk-based decisions that deliver effective outcomes within the resources allocated.

• Able to manage the delivery of initiatives that change the structure of the organisation and / or the roles of staff and officers.

• Able to seek out and identify a range of information to identify patterns, trends and options, to solve multifaceted and complex problems.

• Able to develop and motivate a team and create strong engagement of individuals with their personal and team objectives and with Force values, behaviours and strategic priorities.

• Able to identify exceptional situations that merit recognition and to take appropriate action.

• Able to identify situations that require disciplinary action and to respond appropriately.

• Skilled in setting team and individual performance objectives, monitoring performance, assessing progress, identifying emerging risks, issues and opportunities, and taking corrective steps as required to ensure that the right results are achieved.

• Able to plan to short and medium term cycles, to coordinate a range of activities appropriately within the function, to match these to available resources, and to identify and mitigate known risks to delivery.

• Able to develop and implement a stakeholder relationship plan; to develop trust; to capitalise on strengths and enable contributions and to ensure that stakeholders’ needs and concerns are fully understood and responded to in an appropriate way.

• Comply with mandated annual refresher training requirements including but not limited to; First Aid and officer safety

• Must undertake a module B2 training package on an annual basis (within 365 days) to maintain status as an accredited and trained level 2 public order officer

• Evidence ongoing operational competence against the relevant professional standards through the command of a minimum of one public order event each year (within 365 days).

• Attend the College of Policing mandatory public order command refresher training C7 event on an annual (within 365 days) basis (delivered locally).

• Keep up to date with changing public order legislation and how this may affect you in your role.

• Keep up to date with public order trends and learning as promulgated through the public order national learning and development group and other forums such as the public order communities on POLKA.

• Maintain knowledge of crowd dynamics and crowd psychology based on current guidance and best practice.

• Within a 12 month (within 365 days) timeframe from successful completion of the bronze course including the assessed element, be assessed on an event where there was a risk to public safety, or the potential for disorder and complete a portfolio of work.

• Successful demonstration of occupational and operational competence will lead to enrolment on the national public order accreditation register at the College of Policing.

NPoCC Mercury Profile – Public Order Bronze Commander 64 v2

NPPOTC module G3 – Annex F Public Order Bronze commander role profile