No punishment for 'hero' police

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Police officers who risk their lives in the line of duty will not be prosecuted for breaking the rules, says the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

It said acts of "true heroism" to protect the public would not fall foul of health and safety laws.

The HSE has issued a new statement of principles for police forces to "stamp out the myth" that health and safety rules hinder their work.

It will apply in England, Scotland and Wales but not Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland has its own health and safety executive.

The new statement, Striking The Balance, was drawn up between the HSE and the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo).

It has been endorsed by the Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, and the Police Superintendents' Association.

'Unrealistic expectations'

The statement says police officers and staff should act sensibly and responsibly while at work and not behave recklessly.

But the HSE also accepted there were "extreme cases" when individual officers could decide to put their own safety at risk to help the public.

Police work is unique in that it involves decision-making and risk-taking in fast-moving situations. HSE

On those occasions, prosecutions under the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act would not be in the public interest, it said.

However, the statement makes clear officers have the choice not to put themselves at "unreasonable risk".

It also states the public often has "unrealistic expectations" of what police officers and staff will do to protect them.

HSE chairman Judith Hackitt said: "Police work is unique in that it involves decision-making and risk-taking in fast-moving situations.

"This statement will assist senior police officers in balancing the risks involved in their duties to fight crime and protect the public, with meeting their health and safety obligations to their own employees and the public."

'Police reality'

Acpo said good health and safety practices were "vital" to the welfare of staff and the public.

Officers are not expected to take an unreasonable risk where there is little chance of saving life or protecting property GMP Chief Constable Peter Fahy

The Association of Police Authorities welcomed the statement, which it said recognised "the unique factors involved in operational policing".

Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Peter Fahy said police officers were "under a duty to intervene and to put themselves at risk".

"This document recognises this reality but also expects forces to work to minimise risk," he said.

"Officers are not expected to take an unreasonable risk where there is little chance of saving life or protecting property."

Last year, the Conservative party claimed the "health and safety culture" was making officers "more risk averse".

Shadow justice secretary Dominic Grieve said: "It is dangerous. It undermines public confidence. And we're going to change it."

Two years ago, Greater Manchester Police defended two police community support officers who did not go into a pond where a boy drowned because they had not received the appropriate training.

In 2007, the Metropolitan Police was found guilty of breaching health and safety laws after the fatal shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.

The Brazilian electrician was shot in 2005 by police who mistook him for one of the 21 July failed suicide bombers.

At the time, Met Commissioner Sir Ian Blair expressed concern "over the implications of applying health and safety legislation to such an operation".