§ Helen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the police forces in England and Wales which have produced guidance for their officers on dealing with mentally disordered offenders. [85389]
§ Mr. BoatengNational guidance on mentally disordered offenders was issued to the police and other agencies in the criminal justice system in September 1990 and a revision issued in April 1996. Chief officers were asked to ensure that all their officers were aware of the circular. Information is not held centrally on the number of chief officers who have issued other guidance on mentally disordered offenders to their officers, but some are known to have done so.
In respect of Cheshire Constabulary, detailed policy and guidance to operational officers on dealing with mentally disordered offenders was issued in 1994 and was last revised in 1998. All local policing divisions have nominated officers of inspector rank who are responsible for the implementation of those guidelines and for maintaining locally based protocols with other agencies.
§ Helen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training is currently provided for police officers in England and Wales on dealing with mentally disordered offenders. [85390]
§ Mr. BoatengAs part of their probationer training, all recruits to the police service in England and Wales receive awareness training on persons suffering from mental disability. This training is supplemented by practical role play exercises which can be used to reinforce learning. In addition to the content of the former probationer training curriculum, forces may provide further training on the needs of mentally disordered persons, if there was a particular local need for this. Sergeants who act as custody officers receive further, more detailed, training in the Custody Officer Training Programme which, although 153W designed centrally, is available for delivery by forces. A training video, produced by the National Schizophrenic Fellowship in collaboration with the Metropolitan Police and the Association of Chief Police Officers, and designed to help officers to identify and cope with mentally disordered persons, is also available to all police forces.