§ Mr. Crowtherasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken before approving amendments to the tactical options manual to ensure that operations carried out in accordance with the current manual would not give rise to any conflict with section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe tactical options manual was prepared by the Association of Chief Police Officers and it is for it to make any amendments. The amount of force which may lawfully be used in any police operation is subject always to the overriding principle set out in section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967 that the police shall use no more force than is reasonable in the circumstances. What is reasonable force for the purposes of that section depends on the particular circumstances in each case.