Police officers undergo a simulated training exercise.

Academics visit the Metropolitan Police Service Training Centre

On 26 August Dr Stephen Skinner and Dr Kate Harrington visited the Metropolitan Police Service Training Centre near London.

The visit, which included other academics from the universities of Cape Town, Central Lancashire and Brighton and was co-ordinated by Dr Skinner, followed on from his workshop on ‘Lethal Force, Policing and the ECHR’ at Doughty Street Chambers in March. During the day the group attended a briefing about Metropolitan Police command structures and tactical decision-making, observed demonstrations of firearms capabilities and armed intervention techniques, and had the opportunity to take part in a simulated training exercise with a subsequent de-briefing.

These various activities were related to the group members’ research into policing, the management of operations and security issues, and European and international human rights law standards on the use of force. It will hopefully form the basis for an ongoing conversation with the Metropolitan Police about the interaction of human rights principles and operational practices.

Date: 8 September 2015