Recommendation AG-4: North West Armed Policing SOP Amendment
From The Anthony Grainger Inquiry Report into the Death of Anthony Grainger, published 11 July 2019.
Recommendation
The North West Armed Policing Standard Operating Procedure on Weapons and Ammunition should be amended so that it only permits the use of new specialist munitions that have been approved in accordance with the Code of Practice on Police use of Firearms and Less Lethal Weapons.
In brief (written by this site)
The Inquiry recommended amending armed policing procedures to restrict specialist munitions to approved weapons. The Home Office stated in May 2020 that Greater Manchester Police had revised its Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to require approval from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), and the department (Home Office response, May 2020). The department added in May 2020 that the force was updating the procedure following publication of the new Code of Practice for Armed Policing and Less Lethal Weapons (Home Office, May 2020). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of May 2020 (Home Office response, May 2020).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 12 Oct 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
About this summary
This recommendation applies across many organisations. The record reflects central policy activity; adoption in individual organisations may vary.
Government response
20. The use of CS dispersal canisters by GMP during Operation Shire was a focus of concern for the Inquiry. The CS dispersal canisters had not been through the approval process that includes the identification of an operational requirement by NPCC, testing by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and approval by the Home Secretary for use by police forces in the UK. 21. Greater Manchester Police has informed the Government that in anticipation of a recommendation of this nature, they have revised their Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to set out that only Less Lethal Weapons and Specialist Munitions which have been approved by Defence Science and Technology laboratories (Dstl), NPCC and Home Office should be used. 22. GMP are updating the SOP now that the new Code of Practice for Armed Policing and Less Lethal Weapons has been published.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: These are the Home Office's words, from the government's response of 19 May 2020, which sets out "the actions committed to by the organisations to whom Anthony Grainger Inquiry recommendations were addressed". This recommendation is addressed to Greater Manchester Police; the passage is the Home Office's account of what Greater Manchester Police told the Government, not that body's own statement.
Delivery
Home Office says in progress (19 May 2020)
21. Greater Manchester Police has informed the Government that in anticipation of a recommendation of this nature, they have revised their Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to set out that only Less Lethal Weapons and Specialist Munitions which have been approved by Defence Science and Technology laboratories (Dstl), NPCC and Home Office should be used.
22. GMP are updating the SOP now that the new Code of Practice for Armed Policing and Less Lethal Weapons has been published.
From: Government response to the Anthony Grainger public inquiry (accessible version)
Site note: These are the Home Office's words, from the government's response of 19 May 2020, which sets out "the actions committed to by the organisations to whom Anthony Grainger Inquiry recommendations were addressed". This recommendation is addressed to Greater Manchester Police; the passage is the Home Office's account of what Greater Manchester Police told the Government, not that body's own statement.
Source
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Home Office
Response, delivery statement