Use of force

Keeping people in Essex safe often means police officers intervening in dangerous or complex situations. It also means, on occasion, using force to protect the public at the scene of an incident, a police officer making an arrest or the person being arrested.

When we use the term ‘use of force’ it can mean any tactic available to officers, from taking hold of someone’s arm, using or removing handcuffs or applying a spit guard, to using using a baton, CS spray, Taser or a firearm.

The data also records where officers have been injured either directly before or where exercising use of force.

Like every police force, we must record every use of force and publish data every quarter.