Use Of Force Changes Mean Consistency For Officers

28 October 2025

Police officers who use force in the course of their duty deserve to be judged by a “consistent and robust standard”, Avon and Somerset Police Federation has said.

Chair Tom Gent was speaking after the Government announced that officers should only face future misconduct charges if their actions meet the threshold for criminal proceedings.

A report published this week said the legal test for use of force in misconduct cases should be raised to the criminal standard of beyond reasonable doubt.

Currently, officers will face misconduct proceedings if their actions meet the civil law test of ‘on the balance of probabilities’.

Tom said: “Our colleagues make split-second decisions in dangerous and unpredictable situations to keep us all safe, and they deserve to be judged by a consistent and robust standard – not second-guessed through repeated investigations over months and years.

“We need our colleagues to be confident in using their powers to keep us safe; they deserve our support. When officers hesitate it’s not the public who benefits, it’s the criminals.

“Yes, we should be held accountable for our actions, but this needs to be in a fair, proportionate and timely manner. We welcome the Government commitment to these recommendations as a step in the right direction. 

“It shows recognition of the pressures police officers face and a willingness to support them with a system that is both just and effective.”

The recommendations were made in the Police Accountability Rapid Review, by Timothy Godwin and Sir Adrian Fulford. They were asked to look at the legal test for use of force in misconduct cases, and the Home Secretary has accepted the report’s recommendation to change the threshold. The Government is set to amend Police Regulations to reflect this.

The changes will mean that an officer will no longer face misconduct proceedings if their actions are not deemed to meet the threshold for criminal charges. However, any use of force will still need to be considered necessary, reasonable and proportionate.

The review also looked at the threshold for determining a short-form conclusion of unlawful killing in inquests, and recommended further consultation on this issue.