Unarmed officer training on Operation Plato
Manchester Arena Inquiry · Manchester Arena Inquiry: Volume 2: Emergency Response · Issued 3 November 2022 · Addressed to: College of Policing, Counter Terrorism Policing
Government responseUK Government: Accepted (Nov 2025)
DeliveryCabinet Office says completed (Feb 2026)
Recommendation, verbatim from the inquiry
●Inquiry recommendation
Counter Terrorism Policing Headquarters and the College of Policing should ensure that all unarmed frontline police officers receive training in what Operation Plato is and what will be expected of them following such a declaration. The training should include the importance of zoning, the identification of who can ordinarily work in different zones and the importance of joint working.
Manchester Arena Inquiry, Manchester Arena Inquiry: Volume 2: Emergency Response · 3 Nov 2022 Source PDF →
Published evidence summary
AI-generated evidence summary
In February 2026, the Cabinet Office reported on its dashboard that new e-learning modules preparing frontline officers and supervisors for threat-related incidents were live, stating that "this work strand is now complete" (Cabinet Office, Feb 2026). Relaying an update from the National Police Chiefs' Council, it noted that the strand would be submitted for closure through governance in December 2024 (Cabinet Office, Feb 2026). The UK Government had accepted the recommendation in full in November 2025 (Cabinet Office response, Nov 2025).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026.
About this summary
Government response
●UK Government · Accepted · 14 Nov 2025
Accepted in full
Response document: Manchester Arena Inquiry recommendations (GOV.UK page linking to the Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard)
Delivery
●Cabinet Office says completed · 27 Feb 2026
NPCC Update: New Training for Unarmed Officers - The new e-learning training modules created to prepare all frontline police officers and supervisors for responding to a range of threat related incidents including Marauding Terrorist Attacks (MTA) are now live. This work strand is now complete and will be submitted for closure via NPCC governance in December 2024.
Earlier statements on delivery (0)
●Cabinet Office · 14 Nov 2025
NPCC Update: New Training for Unarmed Officers - The new e-learning training modules created to prepare all frontline police officers and supervisors for responding to a range of threat related incidents including Marauding Terrorist Attacks (MTA) are now live. This work strand is now complete and will be submitted for closure via NPCC governance in December 2024.
From: Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, original version (data file)
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