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Batons
This chapter contains the following topics:
• Introduction
• Purpose
• Deployment with the ASP baton
• Deployment of staff with SHB or long baton
- Who may be deployed with the SHB or long baton?
- Who may be deployed with the long baton?
- SHBs or long batons must not be routinely carried
• Approval required for deployment
• Tactical Options reporting
• Training and certification
- SHB baton
- ASP baton
- Long baton
• Storage of SHB and long batons
Introduction
Police have three approved batons:
• ASP baton (general issue)
• Side handled baton (SHB) (specialist / authorised user)
• Long baton (specialist / authorised user).
Purpose
This topic details:
• when the ASP baton, side handled baton or the long baton may be deployed
• who can be deployed with the side handled baton or the long baton
• reporting after use
• training and certification requirements.
Deployment with the ASP baton
The ASP baton is general issue and the primary baton in use by Police. The ASP baton
should be carried as an appointment at all times. Any decision to use the ASP baton
must be made in accordance with the Tactical Options Framework, and ‘Use of force’
policy.
Deployment with SHB or long baton
Consideration of the operational deployment of the SHB or long baton is an important
escalation in New Zealand Police’s use of force and consequently requires careful
consideration before any decision to deploy.
Decisions must be in accordance with the Tactical Options Framework as well as the
Public Order Intervention Model. The SHB or long baton should only be used when it is
believed that other more reasonable tactical options would be ineffective.
The SHB is provided primarily as a means of defence.
Who may be deployed with the SHB?
Policing Support Units and other Constabulary employees assembled and trained for
public order policing activities may be deployed with the SHB, but only in specific
operational circumstances, such as large scale and out of control parties, potentially
violent protest activity, or during pre-planned operations such as New Years Eve policing.
In all cases, deployment with the SHB can only occur when specific approval has been
given pursuant to ‘Approval required for deployment’ below.
This is an uncontrolled document printed for reference only.
The controlled document can be found in the Police Instructions site which is accessible via the New Zealand Police Intranet.
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Batons, Continued…
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Only constables trained and currently certified in SHB may be issued with and deployed
with the SHB.
District Commanders may authorise District Operations Managers to organise the
training and certification of additional staff in SHB to meet any specific operational
requirement.
Who may be deployed with the long baton?
The long baton may only be used by specifically trained Policing Support Unit squads in
conjunction with the gladiator or enforcer shields, and only during ‘hard’ public order
policing responses.
SHBs or long batons must not be routinely carried
The SHB or long baton must not be issued as a matter of course and must not be
routinely carried.
Approval required for deployment
Deployment with the SHB or long baton can only be approved by the:
• District Shift Commander, or
• District Command Centre Coordinator, or
• Shift Commander – Communications Centre (Northern / Central / Southern)
• Operations Commander of a particular event.
Tactical Options reporting
A Tactical Options Report (TOR) must be submitted before the end of shift for any use
(strike) of the ASP baton, SHB, or long baton against an offender or member of the
public. See ‘Reporting use of force/tactical options use’ in the ‘Use of force’ chapter.
Training and certification
SHB baton
All employees who may be issued with and deployed with the SHB must undergo basic
operator training and annual certification training from SHB Instructors qualified by the
Training Service Centre.
SHB certification is valid for 12 months.
Every fulltime Policing Support Unit should maintain a SHB Instructor component on the
unit at all times.
SHB instructors must re-certify as SHB instructors every 2 years.
ASP baton
To deploy with and use the ASP baton employees must be PITT level 3 trained and
certified.
Long baton
Training for use of the long baton will be conducted within Policing Support Units.
Storage of SHB and long batons
Full time PSU units must maintain a supply of SHB, long batons, and baton clips for their
normal deployment activities.
District Operations Managers must also maintain a suitable supply of SHB and baton
clips in a central location for contingency purposes, and for operational deployments.
This is an uncontrolled document printed for reference only.
The controlled document can be found in the Police Instructions site which is accessible via the New Zealand Police Intranet.
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