FOI 165727

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 165727

 

I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 12^th April 2022. Please find below the response to your request:

 

Please can you provide information to the following questions, with answers from January 2021 to present day:

 

1a. How many staff (including officers & PCSOs, detectives and civilian staff) have undertaken training in relation to Autism, Autism-Spectrum conditions and learning disabilities/difficulties? (Please breakdown the number by rank.)

 

1b. Is the training mandatory?

 

2a. Referring to those mentioned in Q1a, has anyone refused to undertake or not undertaken this training? (Please breakdown the number into the two categories by rank.)

 

2b. If so, is any disciplinary action taken against staff?

 

3a. How often is training supposed to be undertaken by staff?

 

3b. Are these guidelines followed?

 

4. What does the training entail?

 

 

Reply

 

1a. How many staff (including officers & PCSOs, detectives and civilian staff) have undertaken training in relation to Autism, Autism-Spectrum conditions and learning disabilities/difficulties? (Please breakdown the number by rank.)

 

 

Externally run training:

Neurodiversity, Autism and Mental Health – 1 officer (Det Con)

 

Internally run training:

PPST Public and Personal Safety Training (for Police Officers) – The pre-read material for this mandatory training contains links to pre-read material about Autism Awareness.

 

Rank	Total
PCDA	3
Con	1430
Det Con	232
T/Det Con	6
Sgt	126
T/Sgt	39
Sergeant NPPF	44
T/Sgt NPPF	5
Det Sgt	48
T/Det Sgt	3
Det Sgt NPPF	1
Insp	39
T/Insp	15
Insp NPPF	8
Det Insp	15
T/Det Insp	3
Ch Insp	9
T/Ch Insp	2
Det Ch Insp	4
Supt	3
Ch Supt	2
T/Ch Supt	1
Grand Total	2038

 

PPST Public and Personal Safety Training (for Special Officers)

 

 

Rank	Total
Sp Con	70
Sp Sgt	10
T/Sp Sgt	1
Sp Insp	5
Sp Ch Insp	4
Sp Supt	1
Grand Total	91

 

CSO Safety Training (for PCSO’s)

 

Grade	Total
AC	85
C	133
Grand Total	218

 

 

eLearning:

All of the below incorporate some information on Autism / Asperger’s / Neurodiverse conditions / Mental Health conditions / Learning difficulties. The data is held by role not rank.

 

Row Labels	Police Community Support Officer	Police Officer	Police Staff	Special Constabulary	Student Officer	Grand Total
1. Mental Health		1	3	3		7
2. Learning Disabilities and Other Cognitive Conditions		1	4	2		7
3. Communication		1	4	2		7
4. Mental Health and the Police – Initial Response		1	5	3		9
Briefing Document - Mental Health Act Amendments 2017			1	2		3
BTP - SPMH 03. What is an Intervention?		2				2
BTP - SPMH 04. Myths and Barriers to Intervening		1				1
BTP - SPMH 05. Identifying a Vulnerable Person		3				3
Developing a strategic response to mental health v2.0		3	2			5
Developing a strategic response to mental health.		2	1	1		4
Equality Act 2010	8	7	66	4		85
Mental Health - Incident in a Hospital		1	1	1		3
Mental Health - Incident on Private Premises		1	1	4		6
Mental Health - Victims with learning disabilities		1	2	2		5
Mental Health and Learning Disability Awareness		30	5	3		38
Mental Health and the Police	9	371	254	19	22	675
Mental Health Programme Specification			6	1		7
Mental Health Trainer Guide			1			1
Mental_Health_and_the_Police v3.0		1	2			3
Module 1: Mental Health Explained	9	390	275	18	27	719
Module 2: Mental Health Initial Response	9	374	263	17	22	685
PROTA421 Providing a first response to mental health incidents		1	1	1		3
PROTX004 Public Protection Level 2		3	1			4
PROTX420 Mental health and the police		7	3			10
Providing specialist support in mental health incidents v2.0		1	1			2
Public Protection - Abusive Relationship	8	76	46	3		133
Public Protection - Man in Distress	7	75	47	3	1	133
Grand Total	50	1354	995	89	72	2560

 

 

1b. Is the training mandatory?

PPST Public and Personal Safety Training as well as the eLearning packages highlighted in yellow are mandatory.

 

2a. Referring to those mentioned in Q1a, has anyone refused to undertake or not undertaken this training? (Please breakdown the number into the two categories by rank.)

 

No information held

 

2b. If so, is any disciplinary action taken against staff?

N/A

 

3a. How often is training supposed to be undertaken by staff?

PPST must be refreshed every 12, 24, 36 months depending on the rank and role of the officer.

PPST for Specials must be refreshed every 12 months.

CSO Safety Training must be refreshed every 12 months

 

Mandatory eLearning (highlighted in yellow) must be done when joining the force. When the packages have been updated, all must refresh their knowledge.

 

3b. Are these guidelines followed?

Yes

 

4. What does the training entail?

PPST and CSO Safety training involves refreshing policing skills; tactical communication, personal safety skills, equipment and restraints in a scenario based environment. It is scenario based training so a sound knowledge of mental health / learning difficulties is required. The pre-reads must be done prior to attendance (which includes information as mentioned in 1a).

 

ELearning:

Mental Health and the Police – published by the College of Policing in 2021 – contains 2 modules as below.

 

• This first module explores mental health issues and learning disabilities. It introduces essential topics relevant to policing matters relating to mental health and some of the legislation around mental health.

 

• This is the second of two digital modules of the Mental Health and the Police digital training programme. This module explores communication with people experiencing mental ill health, responding to incidents, handling information and further support and resources available.

 

It includes;

 

• Mental Health conditions
• Learning disabilities
• Neurodiverse conditions