Use of force

Explaining use of force

Leicestershire Police deploys its police officers to hundreds of varied incidents every day.

Police officers may need to use force in specific circumstances where there is a lawful basis to do so. Specific circumstances include detaining and arresting people, protecting others, maintaining order, and keeping themselves safe.

The minimum level of force necessary

Thankfully only a small percentage of incidents require officers to use force. Officers receive comprehensive training to ensure that they are acting lawfully and proportionately. Officers must use the minimum level of force necessary to achieve their aim, and it must be justifiable in the circumstances.

How we record use of force

An officer must record every time they use force on an individual. This record details the tactics deployed on the person as well as the factors leading to the need for use of force. We record low-level restraint and control tactics, handcuffing, as well as if Taser, Baton, or incapacitant spray is used. If no force is used, and spoken instructions were sufficient, no tactics are recorded. We actively encourage and train officers to talk to individuals to de-escalate and remove the need to use force.

The information we gather helps us deliver a better service. It informs officer training and any review of officers’ personal protective equipment. It highlights any emerging risks to public and officer safety. It also identifies any disproportionality (i.e. we use force fairly and proportionately within all our communities).

How this is scrutinised and independently checked

At Leicestershire Police, we scrutinise cases each month to ensure we are proactively monitoring and giving feedback to individual officers for development and learning. We also look for opportunities for organisational learning. This data is reviewed and scrutinised regularly by voluntary and independent members of our communities.

Stop and search, body worn video, and vehicle stops

In the course of their duties to protect our communities, police officers may conduct stop searches (when an officer stops a person for a lawful reason and searches them) or stop vehicles. You can find more information on the Stop and Search page. 

Our policy is for officers to have their Body Worn Video switched on when they deploy. This is useful for evidence capture, but also for review, learning and transparency.

What you can find here

As part of our public Pledge, we are committed to giving regular updates about police activity. We press for high standards always, and pledge to treat the public with respect, courtesy and integrity.

We will update the data below four times a year. Our aim is to give a clear and transparent picture of our use of force while carrying our duty to protect the communities of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.