OPERATION BRIDGE - Cumbria Constabulary

SECTION 7
GPMS RESTRICTED
THE AVAILABILITY OF ARMED RESPONSE VEHICLES (ARVs)
IN CUMBRIA AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT BEING
REPORTED
7. In addition to the officers who had been tasked with duties at Appleby
Fair or the funeral, Cumbria had two dedicated Armed Response
Vehicles (ARVs) on duty and additional Roads Policing Unit (RPU)
vehicles.
7.1 The Western ARV (Call sign MB30) would ordinarily have been
located within West Cumbria but had attended Penrith in order to
have repairs to the vehicle. They had not notified the Force Incident
Manager (FIM) that they were leaving West Cumbria. The second
ARV was also at Penrith.
7.2 All ARVs are a ‘force resource‘ and are deployed across the force
area. It is not uncommon for ARVs to be undertaking duties in
different parts of the Force area. In addition, ARVs are generally
deployed in pairs meaning that it is common for two ARVs to be
deployed to the same incident.
7.3 When this incident started, 25 Authorised Firearms Officers were on
duty within Cumbria. Five of these officers were situated in West
Cumbria.
7.4 The majority of these officers were deployed as Roads Policing Unit
unarmed patrols and had no immediate access to firearms or their
ballistic protection. This equipment is only carried in vehicles that are
designated as ARV’s for that tour of duty.
7.5 Cumbria Constabulary ensure that ARV coverage never falls below
two ARV’s. The force deploys additional Roads Policing Unit
vehicles, any of which could become ARVs, at no additional cost,
simply by placing firearms within the safe in the vehicles.
7.6 The deployment of two ARVs is supported by the force Strategic
Threat and Risk Assessment; however, bearing in mind the unique
geography and the isolation of West Cumbria should both ARVs be
deployed to the East, additional deployments could be justified.
RECOMMENDATION 1:
That Cumbria Constabulary review its policy with regard to the
deployment of ARVs, with emphasis on the challenge presented by
geography and the road network.
THIS REPORT IS EMBARGOED
UNTIL 4PM MONDAY 28 TH MARCH 2011
22