POLGEN019
Operate safely within a policing environment


Application

This unit describes the skills required to promote safety in policing, including responding to workplace and operational safety risks, deploying tactical options, and handling police equipment. These skills will be implemented in response to potential and existing safety risks within both the workplace and operational environment.

This unit applies to those working within a policing environment.

The skills and knowledge described in this unit must be applied within the legislative, regulatory and policy environment in which they are carried out. Organisational policies and procedures must be consulted and adhered to, particularly those related to work health and safety (WHS), codes of conduct, and use of force.

Those undertaking this unit would generally work independently under mostly indirect supervision. They would perform complex tasks and be required to evaluate and access support from established sources and would show adaptability across a broad range of contexts that are familiar and/or unpredictable.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements currently apply to unit at the time of publication.


Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENTS

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Elements describe the essential outcomes

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions section.

1. Respond to workplace safety risks

1.1 Identify workplace safety risks for assessment and reporting purposes.

1.2 Assess potential risks to workplace safety continually to minimise harm to self, colleagues and public.

1.3 Develop response options to identified risks based on assessments.

1.4 Select response option taking into account influencing factors.

1.5 Implement response option through use of police resources.

2. Respond to operational safety risks

2.1 Assess operational environment continually in order to identify operational safety risks.

2.2 Develop response options to operational safety risks using decision making/problem solving models.

2.3 Evaluate response options to determine a reasonable and justifiable option.

2.4 Maintain communication with stakeholders while deploying selected response option.

2.5 Implement selected response option in line with the operational plan.

2.6 Review selected response option and deployment to inform future decision making and response.

3. Deploy tactical options

3.1 Identify tactical options for potential use based on risk assessment.

3.2 Determine the necessity of tactical options by continually assessing situation/operational environment.

3.3 Evaluate the use of tactical options in situation/operational environment.

3.4 Implement selected tactical option in accordance with decision making/problem solving models.

3.5 Justify use of tactical option based on legislation, jurisdictional policies and procedures and situational factors.

4. Handle police equipment

4.1 Secure police equipment to ensure safe use, storage and transportation.

4.2 Check police equipment to identify any issues that may impact on the use of the equipment.

4.3 Report any issues that may impact on the use of the equipment.

Evidence of Performance

Evidence required to demonstrate competence must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria. If not otherwise specified the candidate must demonstrate evidence of performance of the following on at least one occasion.

identifying early intervention requirements to support safety of others

communicating safety concerns to other stakeholders

providing clear and concise directions

conducting safety and risk assessments of incidents and in the workplace

using situational awareness to identify risks in the operational environment

assessing safety concerns continually to plan and implement responses

minimising and eliminating risks through the application of response options

implementing tactical options to safely resolve an incident

handling equipment according to policies and procedures


Evidence of Knowledge

Evidence required to demonstrate competence must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria. If not otherwise specified the depth of knowledge demonstrated must be appropriate to the job context of the candidate.

current Commonwealth, national, state or territory legislation, as well as jurisdictional policies and procedures, relating to work health and safety

jurisdictional safety management systems

jurisdictional decision making/problem solving models

jurisdictional policies and procedures relating to use of force/tactical options

operational safety and use of force/tactical options principles

legal consequences of use of force/tactical options

duty of care responsibilities and custodial practices

warning flags that indicate potential psychological harm or trauma

types of police equipment


Assessment Conditions

This unit contains no specific industry-mandated assessment conditions. Guidance on suggested and recommended conditions and methods can be found in the Implementation Guide.

Consideration must be given to practical assessment for this unit. Refer to advice in the companion volumes.

Consideration must be given to holistic assessment for this unit. Refer to advice in the companion volumes.

Assessors must satisfy the NVR/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.


Foundation Skills

The foundation skills demands of this unit have been mapped for alignment with the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF). The following tables outline the performance levels indicated for successful attainment of the unit.

Further information on ACSF and the foundation skills underpinning this unit can be found in the Foundation Skills Guide on the GSA website.


Competency Field

General