Recommendation JB-15.2: Require multidimensional risk assessments throughout operations
From Report into the Death of Jermaine Baker, published 5 July 2022.
Recommendation
Training should emphasise that multidimensional risk assessments must be carried out throughout police operations, including the planning and briefing of operations. Those risk assessments should assess the future threat and risk at all stages of the operation.
In brief (written by this site)
In October 2022, the College of Policing stated that the national armed policing training curriculum emphasised multidimensional threat assessment throughout operations, and it was drafting an amendment to Authorised Professional Practice to detail the requirement further (Andy Walker response, Oct 2022). The Metropolitan Police Service reported in October 2022 that it was supporting the development of national command log templates to assist commanders in recording these assessments (Metropolitan Police Service response, Oct 2022). The record holds no update since the College of Policing's response of October 2022 (Andy Walker response, Oct 2022).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
About this summary
This recommendation asks for cultural or behavioural change, which is difficult to verify from published sources alone. The record reflects policy commitments rather than measured outcomes.
Government response
As the Chairman heard during the Inquiry, MPS firearms trainers have been required to watch certain sections of recorded evidence from the Inquiry hearing in order to inform their teaching. Trainers have been made aware of the deficiencies observed by the Chairman in the production and evaluation of risk assessments by Firearms Commanders within the MPS, and particular focus is now being placed on emphasising multidimensionality at all stages of operational planning and in using the prescribed forms to record this planning. Monitoring of this suggests that the process is much improved. It is understood that the College of Policing is to update APP-AP to include further content in relation to multidimensional threat assessments. Should MPS training require any updates these will be implemented upon the publication of amended APP-AP. 8. The command logs sent out by national armed policing (upon which the MPS FA forms are based) still make recording of multidimensional risk assessments difficult to achieve. MO19 is supporting the College of Policing in the progression of improved practical tools and templates to be used nationally to assist Firearms Commanders in this regard. The need for coherent, structured and national guidance was a feature of a meeting between representatives from MO19, the College of Policing, and others on 8 September 2022. This action now sits primarily with national armed policing, supported where appropriate by input from the MPS.
The concept of multidimensional threat assessment has been included in APP-AP for some time. The concept is also dealt with in much greater detail within the current NPFTC than was the case in 2015. The training curriculum now emphasises the importance of multidimensional threat assessment from the point of planning and for the duration of an operation. The requirement to document a multidimensional threat assessment will also be explicit in the national minimum standards for command logging currently being developed by NPCC, which will replace the current national command log template. As a consequence of the recommendation, the College is drafting an amendment to APP which will further emphasise the requirement to undertake a multidimensional threat assessment, including greater detail in respect of what that may comprise.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: This is the College of Policing's letter of 27 October 2022, signed by Andy Walker, Head of Delivery, Uniformed Policing, College of Policing. The letter says it is "provided on behalf of the College and NPCC Armed Policing". The site files it under the College of Policing, whose words these are, including where the recommendation is addressed to the National Police Chiefs' Council.
Delivery
No statement on delivery from College of Policing has been found in the sources searched (last checked 2 October 2026). This is separate from the response above.
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Metropolitan Police Service
Response - College of Policing
Response