Public Order Silver Command

This profile has recently been updated to include the CVF 2024 and core skills, and the new version can be found on College Learn by entering the Profile title in the search function. Please note this profile is out of date and is in the process of being reviewed.

The Public Order Silver 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 C2 of the National Police Public Order Training Curriculum (NPPOTC).

• Provide the pivotal command chain link between the public order gold commander and bronze commander(s), working and communicating to establish a command structure that is appropriate to the circumstances and sufficiently resilient and robust to achieve the strategy.

• Test the gold commander’s strategy to ensure it is achievable and proportionate to the threat faced, or set working strategies, including appropriate tactical parameters, where a gold commander is not yet in place, and ensure that the tactics employed by the bronze commander(s) meet the strategic objectives and tactical plan.

• Develop, review and coordinate the tactical plan in order to achieve the gold commander’s strategy, taking into account any tactical parameters, impact assessments and all available information and intelligence to properly evaluate the threat, vulnerabilities and risk and to ensure that the deployment is commensurate with the level of threat faced.

• Task and coordinate the bronze commander(s) in line with the tactical plan, communicating any changes to them and where appropriate the gold commander, in order to achieve strategic objectives.

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

• Manage and coordinate multi-agency resources and activities where required in order to facilitate a multi-agency response to public order event or operation.

• 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.

• Ensure own compliance with all applicable national and regional guidelines and legislation to ensure the safe and legal policing of public order events.

Prior education and experience:

• To access Silver public order command training the candidate must be a Chief 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 a current operationally accredited public order bronze commander or an operationally accredited silver commander in another policing discipline.

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

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

• Within a 12 month timeframe (within 365 days) from successful completion of the silver course including the assessed element, be assessed on an event (not in a shadowing role) 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.

• 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).

• Attend and be familiar with the content of level 2 public order training at least once within every 12 month (within 365 days) timeframe.

• 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.

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

• Within a 12 month timeframe (within 365 days) from successful completion of the silver course including the assessed element, be assessed on an event (not in a shadowing role) 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 Silver Commander 65 v2

NPPOTC Module G3 – Annex E Public Order Silver Commander role profile