PART II.  THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES PERF: RE-ENGINEERING TRAINING ON POLICE USE OF FORCE (2015) In its latest publication on use-of-force training, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) wrote: “It became clear that this issue of de-escalation was one of many ways in which the training of police officers can be improved. Our goal is to give police officers better tools for avoiding unnecessary uses of force, particularly deadly force”.a The research found that law enforcement training generally had heavy emphasis on the “shoot-don’t shoot” approach, which “[did not] provide the full range of issues that officers need to consider”. a See Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), 2015. During actual use-of-force training (training on the shooting range, learning to use the baton, applying handcuffs), the recruit should learn to reflect on the principles that should be applied whenever resorting to the use of force, and his or her general responsibilities to respect, protect and fulfil human rights, so that he or she at a later stage can then also apply these to more complex scenarios and in real practice, when acting under pressure. Training law enforcement officials in the correct use of firearms is essential, but in many countries such training is limited to cleaning the weapon, disassembling it and putting it back together, and firing at the “bull’s eye”. This is clearly insufficient, indeed firearms training should include a necessary minimum of shooting practice and also be scenario-based, where students have to make assessments of a situation and decide if and how to respond. More specifically, during actual use-of-force training recruits should learn: • General obligations under international human rights law and their implications • Principles of proportionality and necessity and how to apply them in practical examples • National laws and regulations • How to use unarmed force effectively • How to use the various instruments of force and techniques professionally • How to use firearms professionally • When and how to stop use of force which started lawfully but is no longer needed, for example: how to avoid becoming emotionally charged, angry or vengeful during operations (regardless of any provocation) • What steps to take after having used force or firearms • Issues around chain of command, reporting obligations and why such structures and obligations are important Any training provided as well as the choice of instruments to be used should be independent of any company or commercial interests involved in the manufacture and marketing of instruments of force.137 137  See Omega Research Foundation, Briefing for the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions on the use of lethal force during arrest, 2011: http://www.omegaresearchfoundation.org/assets/downloads/ publications/Briefing%20for%20SR%202.pdf 57