Document management system for firearms authorisation forms

Unsurprisingly, these recommendations were not addressed to the MPS directly. As set out above “FA forms” are MPS documents based upon command logs provided by the College of Policing. Whilst the forms can be tailored to match local requirements any significant change would create considerable difficulty where (for example) deployments cross jurisdictional boundaries. This is therefore something which must first be addressed at a national level. 10. Change to the command logs is something that the MPS has raised in the past (see the evidence of Superintendent McKibbin at 29/62/14-19). The MPS is actively assisting the College of Policing and the NPCC in the progression of work relating to this recommendation. In particular, the SFC/TFC command logs (FAs 2 and 3 in the MPS) are being reviewed under a project led by Ian Davies on behalf of the NPCC. 11. The MPS was one of the forces running a pilot programme, in connection with the above, to trial the use of the I.T. platform CLIO as a replacement for the FA forms in relation to planned deployments. As the Chairman is well aware, CLIO provides a flexible IT platform through an online document management system. In this respect, CLIO enables Firearms Commanders to add in or update content more easily than has been the case with FA forms (updates to the latter requiring the amendment of standalone documents that must be sent from device to device). A difficulty was encountered during the CLIO trial that this method would require information to be added to the system by officers outside of the firearms command to ensure that a complete auditable record was created. Whilst this has worked well in certain operations (such as kidnap), experience in deployments in other areas has been more mixed. For CLIO entries to replace the FA forms would require substantial additional training to officers outside of the firearms command. At present therefore the MPS is still using the FA forms. The necessary additional training required following the pilot is being considered by the MPS along with learning from other forces that have participated in the pilot.

The FA forms utilised by the MPS for command logging are derived from the national command logs first published in 2010 and revised in 2012. As noted above, the standards relating to command logging are subject of an ongoing review by NPCC. Current APP-AP makes clear the requirement to make and maintain comprehensive records: ‘Incidents involving police officers’ use of force or firearms may be the subject of scrutiny in a number of forums. Forces must ensure that the records kept are sufficient to meet these needs. Records and logs maintained by or on behalf of commanders and tactical advisors will be reviewed during operations as well as during post-deployment audits. A comprehensive record of key actions and decisions made by commanders, and the advice given by tactical advisors, in situations where AFOs may be or have been deployed should be maintained in accordance with common national standards’. Work is ongoing to update national command logs to address the issues that have been highlighted by the Inquiry. It is recognised that there are currently different methodologies for command logging and this is often dependent on whether the operation is planned and protracted, planned and short lived or arises spontaneously. The first of these should be IT enabled, the second and third could be either IT or paper based. There is currently no national common document management system and forces have autonomy in terms of development and procurement of suitable IT systems. Under current arrangements, the College and NPCC are unable to mandate the use of a single records management system. Following the Anthony Grainger Inquiry recommendations, a trial of an application called CLIO has been conducted in planned armed operations. The CLIO trial has concluded and a recent circulation from the NPCC explained that the trial had been successful and that forces should continue to consider use of CLIO for planned armed operations. Several forces have now done so. CLIO is already in widespread use in other policing areas, notably counter terrorism and kidnap and extortion. More recently, NPCC has created a project called D-DaCS (Dynamic Decision and Case Management System). That project originated in kidnap and extortion cases but now extends to other types of operation. It seeks to identify long term solutions that enable active management of ongoing incidents or investigations as well as providing evidentially intact command logging methodologies. The project is unlikely to report for some time and implementation of recommendations will take some further time. As a result, there is a necessity to progress with other interim options and CLIO is the current solution for this. The College is also drafting an amendment to APP which will emphasise the specific requirement for record management systems to be capable of providing a clear chronology of document creation and submission which is version controlled.

No statement on delivery from National Police Chiefs Council has been found in the sources searched. This is separate from the response above.