56 Resource book on the use of force and firearms in law enforcement Topics that should be addressed in use of force-related training, in the classroom and then reinforced during “on the job” training include:134 • Relevant legal and ethical framework for policing in general and use of force in particular • Absolute prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment135 • Peaceful settlement of conflicts or conflict-resolution skills • Communication skills, including methods of persuasion, negotiation and mediation; • Cultural awareness and sensitivity to diversity • Gender awareness, including in the context of sexual and gender-based violence • Child-related issues, including in the context of violence against children • Awareness of the rights and needs of victims of crime • Facilitating assemblies • Understanding crowd behaviour • Professional criminal investigations • Use of different types of equipment and weapons • Personal safety and stress management • First aid training Moreover, law enforcement officials should learn that not every situation requires action. This is the recommended course of action in case an officer can walk away from a situation and no negative outcome results, or if the situation can be better handled by other agencies with more effective responses.136 If the situation needs action, officials should learn to consider non-violent means first, and only consider using force when non-violent means remain ineffective or have no likelihood of succeeding. Even in such cases, any use of force should strictly comply with the principles of necessity and proportionality. Personal safety considerations should be included in the training, as this may help reduce the sense of threat in a given situation and hence the likelihood that an officer would resort to using force. An example can be found in Somaliland, where the Comprehensive Education Programme which was developed with assistance from UNODC and will be offered to all ranks of police officers, includes a module on self-defence, which involves conflict management, communication, nonlethal control and restraint, and prisoner transportation. 134  See BPUFF, principles 5(c), 19, 20, 22; CAT, article 10; Declaration on Violence Against Women, article 4(i); Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Children in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, chapter X. Strengthening capacity and training of criminal justice professionals, article 28(g) and (h); Convention Against Racism; Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power; United Nations Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials; Guidelines for the Effective Implementation of the Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials. 135  See CAT, article 10; General Comment No. 20, article 7 (Prohibition of torture, or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment) adopted in 1992 by the HRC, para. 10. 136  See Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), 2012, pp. 37-38.