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Police Fined After Officers Burned in Riot Training
20 Jan
Summary
- Four officers suffered burns, two with permanent scarring, during training.
- Derbyshire Police failed to adequately assess risks and PPE.
- The force was fined £60,000 and ordered to pay £9,470 costs.
Derbyshire Police received a £60,000 fine and was ordered to pay £9,470 in costs after a dangerous riot training exercise resulted in injuries to four officers. The incident occurred on February 2, 2021, when petrol bombs were thrown during a drill simulating public disorder.
Three of the four officers sustained burns, with two suffering permanent scarring and psychological harm. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found Derbyshire Police had failed to conduct adequate risk assessments for the production and deployment of petrol bombs. The force also did not provide officers with sufficient information regarding the lifespan and care of their flame-retardant personal protective equipment (PPE).
Chief Constable Rachel Swann acknowledged that officers were put at risk due to inadequate risk assessments, particularly concerning the handling and delivery of petrol. She stated that while the injuries were believed to be caused by a failure of the PPE, the force recognized that risk assessments should have been regularly reviewed and updated. Training was suspended until revised assessments were implemented.
