Secure Storage / Change in Law Regarding Police Batons
Keywords
Secure, Storage, Change, Law, Batons, Stations, ASP, CS spray, Offensive, Weapons, Secured, Officers, Houses, Family, Advise, Public, Preventing, Unknowingly, Breaking, Lockers, Permission, Senior, Officer, Help, Community, Possess, Home, Personal, Safety, Training, Lawful, Duty, Authority, Securing, Publicised, Circulated, Media.
Publication Number
PUB 1362
FOI Reference Number
16523
Request Title
Secure Storage / Change in Law Regarding Police Batons
Date Range
N/A
Information Requested
Since the recent change in the law with regards to police batons, do you provide secure storage at the relevant police stations for ASP/Batons like you do for CS spray?
If you don’t provide this, can you advise how these offensive weapons are being secured inside the officers houses away from other family members etc?
also provide if you have actively tried to advise members of the public of the recent change of the law, thus preventing them from unknowingly breaking the law?
Disclosure with Exemptions
Full disclosure
Information Correct as at
14 December 2021
Date of Disclosure
04 January 2022
Related Documents/Links
N/A
FOI 16523 Response
Having completed enquiries within Essex Police in respect of Section 1(1)(a), Essex Police does hold information relating to your request, Essex Police can confirm in respect of Section 1(1)(b) the following data:
Caveat: The data is correct as at 14 December 2021.
Since the recent change in the law with regards to Police batons, do you provide secure storage at the relevant police stations for ASP/Batons like you do for CS spray?
Officers are provided with lockers to store equipment including batons.
If you don’t provide this, can you advise how these offensive weapons are being secured inside the Officer’s houses away from other family members etc?
Officers are reminded that it is an offence to possess batons otherwise than in their capacity as a Police Officer. The possession of a Baton off duty MUST be authorised by a Senior Officer in writing.
Could you also provide if you have actively tried to advise members of the public of the recent change of the law, thus preventing them from unknowingly breaking the law?
This is factored into policy and procedure which is available to all staff and Officers are advised of this when issued with equipment upon commencing their role as a Police Officer.
FOI Reference Number
16649
Request Title
Storage of Police Batons
Date Range
N/A
Information Requested
You stated in your reply the officers are provided with lockers, does this mean batons are not taken home with their other uniform without written permission from a senior officer?
If a senior officer has given permission for an officer to have use of a baton off duty, where is it secured?
I also asked you what you have done as a force to help the community of Essex Become aware of the recent change in the law around not being allowed to possess a baton in the home. But unfortunately you did not answer this question correctly.
Disclosure with Exemptions
Full disclosure
Information Correct as at
21 January 2022
Date of Disclosure
31 January 2022
Related Documents/Links
N/A
FOI 16649 Response
Having completed enquiries within Essex Police in respect of Section 1(1)(a), Essex Police does hold information relating to your request, Essex Police can confirm in respect of Section 1(1)(b) the following data:
Caveats:
The data is correct as at 21 January 2022.
You stated in your reply the officers are provided with lockers, does this mean batons are not taken home with their other uniform without written permission from a senior officer?
No, officers are routinely required to take certain items of kit home, for example if they are attending mandatory Personal Safety Training where individual appointments are required. Officers have a lawful duty to possess under these circumstances so specific authority is not required.
If a senior officer has given permission for an officer to have use of a baton off duty, where is it secured?
In the officers home with particular attention given to the location of storage on an individual dynamic basis. Officers will routinely be securing their homes of an evening. We would add that ASP batons issued to Essex Police officers are friction locked and are not activated by a button spring or other device and as such are not specifically mentioned or included under the amendment of section 141 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988.
I also asked you what you have done as a force to help the community of Essex Become aware of the recent change in the law around not being allowed to possess a baton in the home. But unfortunately you did not answer this question correctly.
Essex Police have not specifically publicised this change in the law to the community. However, the change in the law has been circulated widely and is available through various media outlets.