Public Order Department

Overview

The Public Order Department (POD) is a core tactical unit within the Operations Support Team (OST), which forms part of the Joint Operations Unit (JOU)—a strategic collaboration between Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police.

POD delivers a broad spectrum of public order and tactical support capabilities across both force areas. Its officers are trained to national Level 1, 2, or 3 standards and are deployable in both spontaneous and planned operations. These include disorder management, tactical entry, major incident response, specialist searches, and CBRN resilience.

With a flexible, scalable structure, the department plays a critical role in maintaining public safety during volatile protests, supporting high-risk enforcement operations, managing major incidents, or providing visible reassurance during periods of community tension. Whether responding to a mass gathering, high-harm warrant, or a state visit, POD enhances force readiness, enforcement capability, and civil contingency planning across Hampshire and Thames Valley.

POD operates under a tiered command structure and works alongside other OST units and external emergency services. It is embedded in national policing strategy through compliance with:

• College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice (APP)

• National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC)

• National Police Coordination Centre (NPoCC)

• Strategic Threat and Risk Assessments (STRAs)

Officers also participate in multi-agency planning exercises, ensuring the department remains resilient and ready for emerging threats across modern policing environments.

Role and Responsibilities

The Public Order Department (POD) serves as a frontline tactical unit within the Operations Support Team (OST) of the Joint Operations Unit (JOU). Operating across Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police, POD provides dynamic, specialist support to manage high-risk policing operations, civil disorder, public safety threats, and critical incidents.

Its officers are trained to national public order accreditation levels and maintain the capability to deploy rapidly and proportionately to incidents of any scale—from local community tension to mass gatherings or national emergencies.

POD plays a vital role in:

• Public protection and reassurance

• Enforcement and operational resilience

• National mutual aid deployments

• Specialist tactical support in policing priorities

🔹 Key Responsibilities:

1. Public Order Management
Deployment to manage protests, spontaneous unrest, riots, and football matches. Officers use nationally authorised tactics to uphold public safety while protecting the right to protest.

2. Specialist Tactical Support
Includes Method of Entry (MoE), tactical containment, surveillance support, tactical search operations, and support to Firearms and CID-led warrants.

3. CBRN Preparedness
POD houses a trained Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) response team capable of inter-agency coordination with fire and ambulance services.

4. Major Incident and Critical Support
Tactical deployment to building collapses, mass casualty events, evacuations, and structural incidents where containment and command support are essential.

5. Escort and Protection Operations
Secure escort of high-risk prisoners, military convoys, and disruptive detainees, as well as supporting VIP movements, royal visits, and state events.

6. Community Reassurance
Targeted patrols with Local Policing Areas (LPAs) and Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs), especially in crime hotspots or areas experiencing elevated public concern.

7. Missing Person Search Support
Support to large-scale search operations for vulnerable or high-risk missing persons, often alongside Dog Section and Specialist Search and Recovery Teams (SSRT).

8. Specialist Sub-Team Deployment
Integration of sub-units including Force Support Unit (FSU), Protest Removal Team (PRT), Operational Support Medics (OSMs), and others for specialist functions.

9. Accreditation and National Standards Compliance
All officers are trained in accordance with:

• College of Policing APP (Public Order & CBRN)

• NPCC Public Order Training Manual

• NPoCC Deployment Protocols

POD is a trusted and accountable unit whose operations are underpinned by professionalism, legal compliance, and strategic alignment to force and national priorities.

Strategic Alignment and Purpose

The Public Order Department (POD) exists to deliver proactive, high-capability policing that reinforces public confidence, deters disorder, and ensures operational resilience across Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police.

As a core asset of the Joint Operations Unit (JOU), POD’s role extends beyond tactical deployments — it directly contributes to the forces’ strategic policing goals:

• 🔹 Protecting Life and Infrastructure: Through dynamic response to major incidents, disorder, and CBRN threats.

• 🔹 Upholding Lawful Protest and Public Order: By facilitating peaceful assemblies and managing disorder through proportionate, nationally approved tactics.

• 🔹 Ensuring Regional and National Readiness: POD supports both day-to-day operations and longer-term resilience planning, including mutual aid and emergency mobilisation.

• 🔹 Contributing to Multi-Agency Preparedness: POD integrates with fire, ambulance, military, and local authority partners through regular exercises and contingency planning.

• 🔹 Maintaining Professional Standards: All operations align with national doctrine, but more importantly, support ethical policing, community legitimacy, and operational accountability.

POD is not just a tactical unit — it is a strategic instrument for enhancing force capability, managing risk, and protecting the public in volatile or high-impact environments.

Sub-Teams and Specialist Units

The Public Order Department (POD) maintains a robust structure of specialist sub-teams, each trained to deliver advanced tactical support across a wide range of operational environments. These teams operate under the umbrella of the Operations Support Team (OST) and can be deployed independently or in coordinated formations depending on the scale, threat, and complexity of the incident.

🔹 Force Support Unit (FSU)

The FSU is the full-time Level 1 Public Order response team. Officers within this unit are trained to the highest national standard and regularly lead deployments to:

• Riots, protests, football disorder, and spontaneous unrest

• High-risk warrant execution and crowd containment

• Method of Entry (MoE) operations

• Critical incidents and fast-time tactical support

FSU officers are equipped with full PSU kit, including tactical entry tools and specialist PPE, and operate using Public Order Carriers and Fast Response Vehicles.

🔹 Method of Entry (MoE) Team

This team provides specialist tactical entry capability for:

• High-harm warrant execution

• Firearms or organised crime interventions (in partnership with ARU/CID)

• Emergency access (e.g. welfare checks or life at risk)

MoE officers are trained in the use of:

• Hydraulic breaching tools

• Battering rams and enforcers

• Angle grinders and saws

• Tactical breaching strategy under time or safety constraints

🔹 Protest Removal Team (PRT)

The PRT is trained in the lawful and safe removal of individuals using:

• Lock-on devices (arm tubes, concrete blocks)

• Tripods, elevated structures, or tunnels

• Passive resistance tactics

Officers deploy with cutting tools, PPE, and liaise closely with Gold/Silver Command, legal observers, and operational planners to ensure lawful, proportionate removals.

🔹 Specialist Search and Recovery Team (SSRT)

The SSRT supports:

• Missing person searches (land and water)

• Weapon, body, and evidence recovery

• Underwater or hazardous terrain operations

SSRT includes:

• Trained divers

• Rope access specialists

• Recovery technicians with hazardous environment certification

🔹 Rope Access and Confined Spaces Team (RACST)

RACST operates in high-risk or restricted environments, including:

• Rooftops, cranes, or elevated structures

• Culverts, vaults, or other confined spaces

• Protester removals requiring high-angle or confined entry

The team works closely with PRT, ARU, and SSRT depending on the operational scenario.

🔹 Operational Support Medics (OSMs)

Formerly known as Public Order Medics (POMs), OSMs are trauma-trained officers who:

• Deliver first aid and trauma care under hostile conditions

• Support injured officers, protesters, or members of the public

• Operate in environments inaccessible to NHS resources

Each PSU deployment includes designated OSMs equipped with advanced medical kits and triage equipment.

🔹 Evidence Gathering Team (EGT)

EGT officers:

• Use body-worn and handheld cameras

• Gather video and audio evidence for prosecution

• Ensure secure digital handling and case building for court proceedings

EGTs are deployed at protests, football events, and disorder incidents to capture real-time intelligence and support legal accountability.

🔹 Forward Intelligence Team (FIT)

FIT officers are trained in:

• Behavioural detection and risk profiling

• Overt surveillance and protest monitoring

• De-escalation and protester engagement

They are often deployed early in events to gather intelligence and inform Silver Command strategies.

🔹 Cell Relocation Team

This team assists Force Custody units in:

• Transferring violent, vulnerable, or disruptive detainees

• Supporting dynamic cell interventions or control scenarios

• Ensuring safe and secure detainee movement between blocks

🔹 CBRN Team

CBRN-trained POD officers respond to:

• Chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear threats

• Contamination zones and public safety cordons

• Joint operations with Fire, Ambulance, and Military CBRN units

All officers undergo national certification and regular live-play training scenarios.

Operational Capabilities

The Public Order Department (POD) provides a comprehensive suite of tactical, specialist, and scalable policing capabilities across Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police. Its operational capabilities are designed to enhance community safety, ensure lawful enforcement, and deliver strategic resilience across both force areas.

These capabilities are delivered by Level 1, 2, and 3 trained officers, supported by a diverse range of specialist teams and assets.

🔹 Public Order Response

• Deployment to manage disorder including protests, riots, football-related violence, and spontaneous unrest.

• Use of proportionate, nationally approved tactics in line with College of Policing APP.

• Crowd containment, dispersal, and de-escalation operations using trained PSU formations.

🔹 Method of Entry (MoE)

• Tactical entry support for high-risk warrants, firearms operations, and emergency premises access.

• Use of specialist breaching tools, hydraulic equipment, and rapid-entry methodology.

• Coordinated planning with CID, ARU, and Tactical Firearms Command.

🔹 CBRN Preparedness

• Operational readiness for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear threats.

• Decontamination support, cordon control, and inter-agency CBRN joint response.

• Alignment with national counter-terrorism and resilience protocols.

🔹 Critical & Major Incident Support

• Response to large-scale emergencies including mass casualty incidents, structural collapses, or area evacuations.

• Provision of containment, cordon management, tactical leadership, and trauma response (via OSMs).

• Support to Gold/Silver/Bronze command in civil contingency operations.

🔹 Specialist Tactical Search & Recovery

• Land and water-based search operations for missing persons or evidence.

• Deployment of SSRT, RACST, and drone assets for complex terrain or specialist recovery work.

• High-risk or time-sensitive search support in crime investigations.

🔹 Community Support & High-Visibility Patrols

• Deployment alongside NPTs and LPAs in high-crime areas or during periods of community tension.

• Foot and mobile reassurance patrols, hotspot targeting, and violence reduction support.

• Engagement operations to bolster public trust and visibility.

🔹 Crowd Management and Tactical Containment

• PSU deployment for festivals, football matches, protests, and major events.

• Tactical formations, baton tactics, shield usage, and containment strategy deployment.

• Nationally accredited commanders and medics embedded within each PSU.

🔹 Escort and Protection Operations

• Secure escort of military convoys, high-risk prisoners, or detainees between custody suites.

• Area security, site searches, and protective cordons for VIP and Royal visits.

• Joint working with Royalty and Specialist Protection (RaSP), MOD, and HM Prison Service.

🔹 Protester Removal and Specialist Entry

• Deployment of PRT and RACST teams to remove individuals from locks, tripods, tunnels, or heights.

• Safe, lawful removal techniques with consideration for protester welfare and proportionality.

• Support to command teams in high-profile or sensitive protest scenarios.

🔹 Evidence and Intelligence Gathering

• EGT and FIT teams provide overt surveillance, evidence capture, and intelligence reporting.

• Real-time footage used for prosecutions, debriefs, and public scrutiny.

• Targeted behavioural monitoring and protest profiling support pre-event risk assessment.

🔹 Emergency Medical Response

• Operational Support Medics (OSMs) provide trauma response to:

  • Injured officers

  • Casualties in inaccessible environments

  • Prolonged incidents with NHS response delay

Deployment Model and Command Structure

The Public Order Department (POD) operates under a flexible, multi-tiered deployment and command model, designed to ensure rapid, proportionate, and lawful response across both Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police. It enables scalable deployment to both spontaneous and planned operations—ranging from local reassurance patrols to national mutual aid commitments.

🔹 Deployment Tiers

POD operates across four primary deployment categories:

1. Daily Tasking

   • Directed by the Joint Operations Command Team and local Force Control Rooms (FCRs).

   • Supports routine operations including:

     • High-visibility patrols

     • Planned arrests and warrants

     • Tactical support to CID, NPTs, and LPAs

   • Informed by:

     • Strategic and Tactical STRAs

     • Local intelligence and community risk profiles

     • Tasking and Coordination Groups (TCGs)

2. Spontaneous Deployments

   • POD maintains 24/7 Tier 1 and Tier 2 on-call capability.

   • Mobilised through Force Control Rooms or Gold/Silver command during:

     • Public disorder or unrest

     • Sudden public safety threats (e.g. crowd surges, collapses)

     • Critical or major incidents

     • National threat level changes or immediate VIP visits

3. Planned Operations

   • Governed by structured Operational Orders in line with APP and NPoCC guidance.

   • Supports a wide range of events:

     • Football matches, protests, festivals, and public ceremonies

     • Royal/state visits requiring protective search and crowd control

     • High-risk warrant execution and tactical entries

     • CBRN training or CT scenario deployment

4. Strategic Tasking

   • Directed by Gold Group tasking, Chief Officer meetings, and long-term planning forums.

   • Informed by:

     • Community impact assessments

     • Regional and national mutual aid obligations

     • Civil contingency planning and inter-agency exercises

🔹 Command Structure

The command structure of POD adheres to the Gold–Silver–Bronze model, in alignment with UK public order and emergency response doctrine.

• Gold Commander

  • Sets the overarching strategic intent and authorises major deployments

  • Oversees civil contingency and mutual aid coordination

• Silver Commander

  • Translates strategic intent into operational plans

  • Responsible for risk assessments, officer safety, tactics approval

• Bronze Commander

  • Deployed on the ground during live incidents

  • Leads PSU formations, MoE operations, and specialist team deployment

  • Coordinates medics, protester removal, and tactical entry

Each PSU (Public Support Unit) is led by an Inspector or Sergeant with Bronze Command accreditation. Specialist teams (MoE, PRT, EGT, etc.) report into a Bronze Commander or designated Tactical Advisor (TacAd) depending on the nature of the operation.

Key Training Levels or Accreditations

The Public Order Department (POD) maintains a nationally accredited, tiered training model to ensure all officers and specialist teams meet the highest standards of competence, safety, and legal compliance. All training is aligned with:

• College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice (APP)

• National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Public Order Training Manual

• National Police Coordination Centre (NPoCC) deployment protocols

• Local and regional Strategic Threat and Risk Assessments (STRAs)

This ensures all deployments—whether local, regional, or national—are conducted by qualified officers operating within authorised frameworks.

🔹 Public Order Training Levels

POD officers are trained to one of the following national public order levels:

• Level 1 – Specialist Public Order Officers

  • Full-time members of the Force Support Unit (FSU)

  • Highest tier of national training

  • Proficient in:

    • Tactical containment and crowd management

    • Method of Entry (MoE)

    • High-risk tactical operations

  • Deployed routinely to riots, protests, football policing, and mutual aid incidents

• Level 2 – Event & Tactical Support Officers

  • Dual-role officers (e.g. Response or NPT officers) trained for public order support

  • Provide reinforcement to Level 1 teams at planned events or critical incidents

  • Receive advanced training in:

    • Public safety interventions

    • Basic containment and crowd control

• Level 3 – Core Skills Officers

  • All operational police officers receive Level 3 as part of initial and refresher training

  • Trained in:

    • Basic public order tactics

    • Crowd safety awareness

  • Suitable for support roles during large events under PSU command

🔹 Specialist Sub-Team Accreditation

Officers selected for POD sub-units undergo advanced and role-specific training:

• Method of Entry (MoE):

  • Breaching and forced entry techniques

  • Use of hydraulic tools, battering rams, saws

  • High-harm and emergency entry operations

• CBRN Team:

  • Certified CBRN response officers

  • Interoperable with fire and ambulance services

  • Trained in decontamination, PPE use, and cordon safety

• Operational Support Medics (OSMs):

  • Advanced trauma care

  • Casualty triage in hostile environments

  • Burns, blunt trauma, airway management

• Protest Removal Team (PRT):

  • Removal from lock-ons, tripods, elevated platforms

  • Use of cutting tools, protestor negotiation, and safety systems

• Evidence Gathering Team (EGT):

  • Digital evidence capture and processing

  • Body-worn and handheld video techniques

  • Secure data handling for prosecution

• Forward Intelligence Team (FIT):

  • Overt surveillance, behavioural analysis

  • Intelligence gathering for event risk assessments

  • Protest monitoring and disruption support

• Specialist Search and Recovery Team (SSRT):

  • Search and recovery in hazardous terrain, water, and confined spaces

  • Qualified divers, rope access, and forensic recovery trained

• Rope Access and Confined Spaces Team (RACST):

  • High-angle and confined-space deployment for tactical or search operations

• Cell Relocation Team:

  • Secure detainee transfer between custody units

  • Control of volatile or high-risk prisoners

🔹 Continuous Professional Development

POD invests in the continuous development of its officers:

• Annual refresher training to retain public order accreditation

• Scenario-based exercises simulating major incidents and live deployments

• Joint training with Fire, Ambulance, MOD, and Counter-Terrorism partners

• Bronze, Silver, and Gold Commander pathways for leadership development and structured command certification

All training and accreditation are overseen by the Joint Operations Training Directorate, ensuring operational legality, competence, and community confidence in all deployments.