SI0717 Chemical, Biological, Radiological or Nuclear Incidents (Responding to CBRNe events and CBR incidents),2023

Aims

Police Officers and Police Staff must be able to recognise reactive incidents which involve CBR materials and understand how to provide an initial response to them. It is also important that there is a Service wide understanding of how to activate a specialist response to manage and safely conclude such events whilst maximising evidential opportunities where required. Specialist support is also available during the planning for proactive operations to ensure they can be delivered within a safe system of work, as a matter of Officer / Staff safety.

Outline

In the initial stages of an incident or investigation it may be unclear if the event; is a CBRNe incident or relates to the deliberate or accidental release or possession of CBR materials. The reactive police response is delivered in line with the Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles (JESIP) and consists of three phases:

• Initial Operational Response (IOR);
• Transition phase; and
• Specialist Operational Response (SOR). The police capability to respond is built around a series of flexible tactical options and considerations which ensures joined up emergency services response from the strategic to operational level. The proactive response is also delivered in line with the JESIP doctrine but immediately engages specialist Command and Support officers and staff.