National Decision Making ModelScenario

Inspector Christian Ellis

VIAPOAR

Values InformationAssesmentPowers and policyOptionsAction Review

Senario OneUnaccompanied Bag

Patrol officer’s has made contact with you because whilst in a busy shopping centre they have come across a suspicous bag that appears to be abandoned.

Information

• A member of public tells the officers that there’s a bag in a alley next to a shop that appears not to belong to anyone.

• The officers can tell its a normal rucksack,old and a bit worn

• There’s somethig sticking out of it but its is impossible to tell what it is from a distance.

What would you want to know?

Take 5 minutes to discuss and report back.

Assessment

• Is it just lost property or could it be a bomb?• The officers report that it is an alley with high

walls between two shops, no windows and no immediate target near by.

• However it is know that there is a goverment building nearby.

• The alleyway is not busy any if a IED only people in the alleyway or entrance would be hurt.

AssessmentWHAT WOULD BE YOUR WORKING STRATEGY BE AT THIS EARLY STAGE?

Take 5 minutes to discuss

KEEP THE COMMINUTY SAFE?

Further Information

The officers report that the person who reported the bag did not see anyone leave the bag or anyone in its vicinity.

They did not see anyone just the bag and thought it was a strange location for it to be left.

Further Assesment

• Do you know enough about the bag to make a decision as to whether it is likely to be harmless or dangerous?

• Do I need the officers to take action immediately?

Statement of Misson & Values

This is a very uncertian situation. What do you need to consider to make your decision?Take 5 minutes to discuss?

• Must protect the public from harm• Mustn’t put officers at unnecessary risk• Must use sound judgement and common sense• Must be willing to make a decision

Powers & Policy

At this stage of the dynamic situation the organisational policy allows the officers at the scene and you to use your proffessional judgement.

Options

What are they? What is a proportionate response at this stage?Take 5 minutes to discuss• Stop anyone entering the the alleyway?• Contact experts for intitial advice?• Carefully approach the bag to take a closer look?• Open the bag?• Remove items from the bag?

Options

You decide that at the moment:• Seal the alleyway• Ask for two more officers to attend• It would be unwise to just open the bag• It would be sensible to try and get more

information about the bag. (CCTV ect..)

Action

What would you do now?• Notify control room?• Put other emergency

services on standby?• Dispatch a supervisor to

the scene?• Cordon the area?

Information

The officer is tasked to go within a metre of te bag and reports:

• The bag has more than jusy clothes in• There’s something lumpy.(trainers)• There’s nothing to suggest it is a bomb

Assessment

It is still unclear what the bag contains so the possibilty of it being dangerous still remains.What do you know? Discuss

• The item appears harmless• The location, no apparent target or passing

victims

Power & Policy

You and the officers’s at the scene can make a professional judgement to make a decision.

Statement of Mission & Values

How do you make sure that what you do is consistent with the mission and values of policing?

Options

What are your options now?

• Open the bag?• Esculate up the command structure?

On balance it is felt the bag is more likely to be harmless than dangerous.

Additional Information

Before you make your final decision:• The officers at the sene are approached by

two youths who say the bag belongs to them.

Assesment: What wou you do?• Felt they are telling the truth

Action & Review

• The officers recieve permission from the youths to open the bag.

• They open bag and its harmless

Would you record the decision making in this instance and if so how?