Civil Contingencies Strategic Commander

The Civil Contingencies Strategic Commander (CCSC) provides the police strategic command in the event of a rising tide or rapid onset civil emergency. They may also be required to perform the role of Strategic Co-ordinating Group chair, providing multi-agency co-ordination for category 1 and 2 partners, key stakeholders and national government.

The CCSC negotiates the multi-agency aims and objectives with partners as well as setting the overarching police strategy and specific objectives that tactical and operational plans must deliver.

The CCSC sets any police specific tactical parameters and retains the strategic oversight and operational command for policing activity in a civil emergency operation whilst working within the Strategic Co-ordinating Group partnership framework.

• Reviews all available intelligence and assessments from policing and shares this information with key stakeholders to achieve shared situational awareness through the Strategic Co-ordinating Group (SCG).
• Assesses strategic risks from a policing perspective to develop a police strategy and to develop a multi-agency strategy.
• Lead and take responsibility for the assessment of potential local risks and hazards, using recognised national risk assessment tools as part of the planning and preparation phase to mitigate against the risk of potential harm to the public, police officers and staff and representatives from partner agencies.
• Lead and take responsibility for leading the policing element of the operation, ensuring that there are appropriate policing resources available to ensure that the overall strategic objectives of the SCG are met.
• Review and applies relevant legislation, policies and procedures to support the strategic direction and decision making of the police and wider SCG.
• Reviews all available tactical options and contingencies against the strategy and seeks advice from experts within policing and the wider partnership framework to ensure the strategy objectives are met.
• Formulate and implements a clear communications strategy to ensure all partner agencies are working together to create a consistent message that fosters confidence in the response to an incident.
• Establishes effective ongoing working relationships with partner agencies to ensure the best possible multi-agency response to an incident.
• Plans the longer term role of the police in achieving the strategic objectives of the recovery phase of the operation.
• Chairs and co-ordinates the SCG and briefs national government, where appropriate, to ensure the effective co-ordination of partner agencies in meeting the strategic objective of the operation.
• Leads appropriate debriefing processes following the conclusion of an operation to ensure a response to lessons learnt and the development and sharing of best practice within both policing and partner agencies.
• Ensures all operational activities comply with all applicable health and safety legislation to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all policing staff and officers and others under policing control.
• Reviews the command and control structure, including own role with in it, on an ongoing basis to ensure the continuing resilience of the command structure.

Prior education and experience:

• Must be an accredited strategic commander in another discipline (firearms, public order, CBRN, CT) prior to undertaking training and performing the role of Civil Contingencies Gold Commander.
• Must hold the rank of Superintendent or above.
• Good working knowledge of Civil Contingencies Act 2004, Emergency Response & Recovery (Cabinet Office 2013), College of Policing Civil Contingencies national guidance.
• Successful completion of the Multi-Agency Gold Incident Command course.

 Skills:

•  Able to use a range of communication and influencing techniques and methods to successfully negotiate, collaborate and/or effect change.
• Able to provide clear and concise instructions and guidance to a team in pressurised situations.
• Able to apply or devise specialised concepts and methods of analysis (or commission them from others), to clarify and/or solve complex problems.
• Able to lead, develop and motivate a diverse team; creating strong engagement with the function’s performance objectives and with Force values.
• Able to hold individuals to account for their performance and behaviours.
• Skilled in setting function, team and individual objectives, identifying objectives, assessing progress, identifying emerging risks, issues and opportunities and taking corrective steps as required to ensure that the right results are achieved.
• Experienced and skilled in working within and directing strategic partners in an multi-agency environment.

• Undertake the role of Civil Contingencies Strategic Commander, either in an operational setting or within an appropriate exercise, including chairing the SCG, within a 2 year timeframe of completing the MAGIC course.
• Participating in local training and exercising within the Local Resilience Forum, or relevant national civil contingencies exercises.
• Engaging with the Local Resilience Forum through operations and events, to enhance partnership relationships and multi-agency co-operation.
• Joining the Resilience Direct and Joint Organisational Learning online platforms.
• Maintain knowledge of all applicable legislation and national guidance including: Civil Contingencies Act 2004, Emergency Response & Recovery (Cabinet Office 2013) College of Policing national guidance on Civil Contingencies.
• Keep up to date with Civil Contingencies and command and control trends and learning as promulgated through the national learning and development groups and other forums such as the public order communities on POLKA.

Not applicable

• Strategic Firearms Commander
• Strategic Public Order Commander
• Strategic CBRN Commander
• Strategic CT Commander
• JESIP Commander