Dated: 26 Mar 2016
POLICY TITLE: Policing of VIP Visits
OWNING DIRECTORATE: Operations
AUTHOR: Superintendent, Force Resilience Unit
CONTACT DETAILS: 101
EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: Complete
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AIM OF POLICY: To outline policy in respect of VIP visits and their respective policing needs.
BENEFIT OF POLICY: To provide clarity to officers on policing VIP visits.
REASON FOR POLICY: Northumbria Police acknowledges its duty under the Human Rights, Act 1998, in particular Article 2, to support the right to life of the public, the visit principal, and members of its own and other agencies' staff during such visits.
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DESCRIPTION OF POLICY:
A VIP visit is any visit which includes a member of the Royal Family or a VIP which impacts upon the public of the Northumbria Police area.
Northumbria Police acknowledges its duty under the Human Rights Act 1998, in particular Article 2, to support the right to life of the public, the visit principal, and members of its own and other agencies' staff during such visits.
Northumbria Police also recognises the rights of individuals under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to respect for private and family life and under Articles 10 and 11 of the ECHR to freedom of expression and of association.
Northumbria Police intend to police such visits in a way which causes least disruption to the normal lives of those not involved with the visit, which is consistent with safety and with the rights of those taking part or spectating.
Where action taken by Northumbria Police would affect the rights of individuals afforded by the ECHR it will be done so only in accordance with the law, where necessary in the interests of national security, public safety, the prevention of crime or disorder or the protection of the rights of others, to the extent which is proportional to the harm which might otherwise occur and which is the least intrusive and which will achieve the stated aims.
Where a visit is likely to generate such interest that there are crowd safety implications, the Northumbria Police Safer Events Policy must also be applied in the planning and policing of the visit.
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SOURCE DOCUMENT: None
GROUPS AFFECTED: All Police Officers
ACCESS AND DISCLOSURE RESTRICTIONS: None
