Vulnerable Veterans (1506A/22)
Request
Do you have any procedures in place in your authority that identifies vulnerable veterans who come into contact with the police and if so, what are they?
Response
Every person who comes into police custody is carefully and formally Risk Assessed for their own safety and to ensure they receive an appropriate level of care from us. One of the questions on this Risk Assessment asks if that person is or has been in the Armed Forces. If they answer ‘Yes’, there is an automated referral to the West Midlands Police Veterans Support Network veterans@westmidlands.police.uk
The Support Network will then look to identify ways they can support the person in custody, potentially while they are still in custody or soon after. This work is then ongoing regardless of the outcome of the incident the person was involved in. We know this process is not completely embedded in our organisation and are looking at ways to improve.
Veterans champions are also trained throughout other departments, to identify and support vulnerable veterans and their families in our communities. We endeavour to ensure the way we serve those communities is in line with the commitment West Midlands Police made in January 2017 by signing the Armed Forces Community Covenant.
For more information and to help us in this work please contact: veterans@westmidlands.police.uk
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