Title: Water Cannon Project Board

Transcription

1 Water Cannon Project Board Minutes Title: Water Cannon Project Board Duration: hrs Date: 25 th March 2013 Location: Via teleconference Chair: CC David Shaw (DS) ACPO Conflict Management Portfolio Lead Staff Officer: CI Andy Milne (AM) Present: CI Andy Mellows (AMELL) Martyn Hills (MH) Jasan Lavan (JL) Apologies: Cdr Dave Martin (DM) CI Richard Munns (RM) Supt Mark Purdon (MP) Supt Ian Hall (IH) Sarah Severn (SS) )

2 Agenda Item 1: Attendance / Apologies Introductions were made and apologies were noted. Agenda Item 2: Minutes of previous meeting 9 January 2013 The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as an accurate record. One amendment was made and AM stated that he would send out the revised minutes with the minutes of this meeting. Agenda Item 3: Actions Log Review The actions log was reviewed and updated (see end of minutes). Agenda Item 4: SRO Update DS welcomed everybody and explained that attendance at the meeting was limited as colleagues had been asked to attend a SACMILL meeting to provide an overview of the ongoing work around water cannon. DS put on record his thanks to DM and RM for taking on this task at short notice. On the agenda at the SACMILL meeting was the adoption of existing DOMILL statements in relation to water cannon and other less lethal options. DM expressed that by providing a comprehensive update to this group, it was hoped that the need to do extensive testing of either the short or long term options would be kept to a minimum. Agenda Item 5: Project Manager Update MH explained that he had prepared a new Gantt chart relating to the project. This was yet to be circulated but would be circulated along with the minutes of the meeting. DS requested that the Gantt chart shows the short term solution project in timeline form. DS agreed to review the chart after the meeting and provide feedback to MH. MH provided an update based on an that had been circulated by RM. Enquiries have been made with Belgium and Germany regarding obtaining water cannon in the short term. The Belgian Police had offered water cannon however one of the models proposed is currently in a museum. DS expressed concern over the possible impact on public confidence of using these cannon. The initial response from the German Police had been positive and RM s stated that the matter was now with the steering committee of the German Federal Police. Two possible German water cannon models were discussed and both are either in current service or have recently been in service. A discussion took place around the livery and road traffic act compliance requirements that would need to be overcome should European water cannon be made available for use on the mainland. MH provided clarity over the comms leads within the Metropolitan Police. It was identified that Bernadette Ford would be the comms owner and that Asim Bashir would be the comms lead. DS explained that it may be necessary to call a short-notice conference call should the situation in relation to the availability of water cannon as a short-term solution change prior to the next scheduled meeting.

3 Agenda Item 6: Operational Requirement / Technical Requirement AM explained that the original plan had been for the technical requirement to be completed by the end of March. CJ confirmed that as agreed at the last project board, CAST would now be focussing on the requirement for the short-term solution. DS agreed with this approach and agreed that it would be useful to have the actions log marked to show whether actions related to the long-term project or the short-term project. ACTION AM to annotate actions log accordingly. Agenda Item 7: Procurement Options RA gave an overview of the procurement advice that she had ed following the last project board. Graham Colledge would be the MPS lead for procurement in relation to the short-term project. It had been anticipated that he would join this meeting. RA agreed to contact Graham Colledge and brief him on the project to date as well as the specific procurement issues. RA offered to visit MH in the near future to discuss likely timescales for procurement (long-term project). Agenda Item 8: Communications DS welcomed JL to the group. A discussion took place around general comms strategies and the need for the MPS, Home Office and ACPO to have joined up press strategies. DS asked JL to coordinate this process. ACTION JL to coordinate liaison between the three respective press offices. The press strategy relating to the arrival of a PSNI water cannon for G8 training was discussed. The response to any specific questions around whether water cannon was being considered as a permanent option for the mainland was discussed and it was agreed that this was a likely line of questioning from the media. DS expressed that it might appear disingenuous if the ongoing work around water cannon was not disclosed and DS sought the opinion of the group who agreed with this. It was similarly agreed that all comms strategies needed to be aligned in relation to this issue. JL stated that press briefings had been prepared in relation to the arrival of G8-related training equipment (including Armoured Land Rovers) and it was agreed that the approach to releasing this information would be reactive rather than proactive. AM explained that IH was writing the National Community Impact Assessment (CIA) in relation to water cannon. It was anticipated that this would be completed in draft form by the end of April. DS explained the need for the MPS to consider community impact issues arising from the acquisition and potential deployment of water cannon in the short-term and asked that this engagement be carried out through their usual engagement channels. ACTION DM / RM to consider community impact issues of short-term solution and arrange appropriate CIA as necessary. Agenda Item 9: Risk Register It was agreed that the risk register needed to be circulated with every agenda so that members had sight of it prior to the meeting. MH agreed to do this. The risk register was reviewed and no new risks were added. It was agreed that owners for each risk needed to be identified. DS agreed to discuss this with MH after the meeting. A discussion took place about the need to add a risk relating to the testing

4 timeframes of any short-term solution and the possible unavailability of equipment / staff. It was agreed that this item would not be added until the outcome of the SACMILL meeting was known. Agenda Item 10: AOB AM provided an update in relation the visit to the Police and Security Exhibition at Farnborough. He expressed thanks to AMELL for arranging a demonstration of a water cannon. AM explained that the visit had been extremely useful. CJ raised the issue of the overarching CAST Operational Requirement. This document and its content had been presented at the Conflict Management Workshop on 30/1/13. It had been agreed that any feedback would be provided to CAST. Neither CAST nor AM had received any feedback and therefore CJ asked on behalf of GS for this document to be formally approved. DS approved the document as fit for purpose. The next meeting at 10 Victoria Street will be on Thursday 11 th April 2013, hrs

5 Actions Log Action No Date issued Owner Action Update CI Milne / All AM to send electronic copies of TOR and Gantt chart to attendees with minutes Document sent - completed ALL to review the draft TOR and Gantt chart and provide comments / feedback to MH by 25/1/ CC Shaw DS to write to Scottish Police regarding project Completed Ch Supt Derek Robertson is nominated representative - completed 3 (LT) SG to raise issue of contact with Scottish Police with Home Office colleagues Update 6/3/13 SG will progress now that police to police contact has been made. ongoing Update 25/3/13 - ongoing CC Shaw DS to provide written update to Minister following meeting CC Shaw ACTION DS to speak to HO regarding comms strategies Martyn Hills ACTION MH to create risk register Supt. Hall IH to contact CoP to identify suitable representative for Project Board CC Shaw DS to discuss engagement with PCC and the APCC at Chief Constable s Council Update 6/3/13. Letter had been drafted but would be revised following meeting on 6/3/13 - ongoing Comms strategy to be written and agreed see later action discharged. Completed Representative will be either Mike Ismay or Brian Spence - completed Update 6/3/13 will need to be done once costings known ongoing Update 25/3/13 New Action AM to chase up PCC rep CC Shaw DS to write to relevent organisations (CAST / Home Office) post Chief Constable s Update 6/3/13 not yet complete ongoing

6 Council. Update 25/3/13 - discharged Martyn Hills 1 - MH to revise Gantt chart to reflect possible procurement timescales and lead times. Also to include ministerial sign-off milestones and SACMILL process. Update 25/3/13 - complete 2 - MH to create separate Gantt chart for work stream to acquire interim solution SG to provide update in relation to the information required for the SACMILL meeting on 25/3/ GS to report back to project board following SACMILL meeting on 25/3/13. Update 25/3/13 - complete Update 25/3/13 - ongoing RA to send DS Home Office advice regarding procurement options, obligations and risks (to include legal advice). 1 Update 25/3/13 complete 2 - SG to send DS and DM a list of countries that should be excluded from discussion regarding loan of water cannon. 2 Update 25/3/13 - ongoing GS to send RM details of which countries have water cannon Cdr Martin DM to make enquiries with appropriate countries regarding possibility of borrowing water cannon for the interim period. Update 25/3/13 - ongoing Update 25/3/13 - ongoing SG to send DS/AM the requirements for briefing the Policing Minister CC Shaw Cdr Martin SG (and team) to ensure continual dialogue between the HO and Ministers. DS and DM to ensure the same continual dialogue with the MPS Commissioner. Update 25/3/13 ongoing but discharged Supt. Hall IH to provide strategic overview of engagement carried out in relation to wider public order

7 framework CI Milne AM to liaise with IH to establish arrival dates for water cannon CC Shaw CI Milne DS / AM to draft media strategy relating to the project and circulate CI Milne AM to brief MH on changes and update risk register CI Milne AM to schedule teleconference calls and circulate details CI Milne AM to annotate actions log accordingly to differentiate between long-term (LT) and short-term elements of project Jason Lavan JL to coordinate liaison between the three respective press offices Cdr Martin / CI Munns ACTION DM / RM to consider community impact issues of short-term solution and arrange CIA as necessary. 26 (LT) CI Milne AM to establish who the relevent national PCC lead for public order is.