Operational Safety Training
Police officers need to be able to operate safely in a working environment that is often threatening and is at times dangerous. Police need the knowledge and skills to make good judgements, and to employ a range of tactical options, in circumstances where decisions must be made quickly.
These topics are dealt with in operational safety and tactics training. The primary concern of this training is to prepare recruits to operate in such a way that maximises effectiveness, while at the same time ensures their own safety, and the safety and well being of the people they are dealing with.
The operational safety tactics training conducted at the NSW Police College is a comprehensive program covering all requirements of an operational police officer. The training is based on an internationally accepted tactical options model regarding police use of force in the context of the law and good decision making. The model deals with a whole range of tactical responses from officer presence through weaponless control, OC spray, disengagement, containment and negotiation, batons and firearms.
Recruits are brought to the standards required of an operational police officer, and as a result the training is demanding and assessment is rigorous. However, recruits can be confident that they are equipped to move to on the job training as a probationary constable with all the skills of a fully qualified officer. Further on the job training and experience will build the wisdom needed to make good tactical decisions in operational contexts.
Topics taught in operational safety and tactics include:
- Arms and appointments
- Defensive tactics
- Positional asphyxia and the safety of handcuffed persons
- Handcuffs
- Batons
- Oleoresin capsicum defensive spray
- Glock self loading pistol
- Bomb search management
- Searching and search procedures
- Motor vehicle stopping techniques and procedures
- Building approach, entry and search
- Field signals
- Public order policing
- Incident management.