80 Resource book on the use of force and firearms in law enforcement EASILY ACCESSIBLE REGULATIONS AND SOPs PUBLICLY AVAILABLE The United Kingdom has made most of its materials public, including their use-of-force policies, regulations, guidance manuals on how to use various instruments of force, and also review reports into specific operations and issues of concern. Until recently, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) was responsible for developing policy and guidance on various policing issues.a In 2013 however, the United Kingdom set up the College of Policing whose responsibilities include setting standards and developing policy and guidance for policing. The College has incorporated most of the ACPO guidance on various instruments of force, which is now called “Authorised Professional Practice”. Some of these guiding materials have been updated to reflect the latest domestic and European Court of Human Rights jurisprudence.b Within the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland has a history of intercommunal violence placing significant demands on the police. The use of force by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in both counterterrorism and public order operations led to criticism of the State; after the 1997 peace agreements (the Belfast Agreement) the RUC was reformed and is now known as the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). PSNI has a Manual of Policy, Procedure and Guidance on Conflict Management, covering various topics related to the use of force. The entire manual is available on the Internet.c a These manuals were not legally binding, but forces in the United Kingdom were expected to adhere to the guidance set out in order to ensure conformity between police forces. The guidance reflects all relevant legislation subsidiary regulations and current good practice. They were compiled by representatives and experts from the field of specialization required, and included input from other stakeholders. Local agencies could then use this guidance to draft their SOPs, or refer to the respective manual. b See https://www.app.college.police.uk c https://www.psni.police.uk/advice_information/our-publications/corporate-policy/conflict-management-manual/ 6.2.  Instruments of force Batons Description and use A baton is a stick, which sometimes includes a handle at a right angle to the principal shaft, used to restrain or hold a person, poke or hit a person, usually on the larger muscle groups on the limbs. There are various types of batons. Some batons have a soft core, others have a metal core, which obviously carry greater risk of seriously injuring someone, and some are extendable. The longer ones carry greater risk as they can inflict a higher level of force. A baton should not be too heavy, ideally not more than a pound or half a kilogram, as something heavier makes it more difficult to handle which can lead to worse injuries. In some countries, law enforcement officials use more traditional types. For example the police in the Philippines are equipped with a rattan stick165 and in India police officers employ a wooden baton called the lathi. A baton has several principal functions as a use-of-force instrument: • It is a sign of authority that gives legitimacy to police personnel and indicates the capacity to use force. • It can be used defensively to protect the police or other persons from physical aggression given its blocking capacity. Holding the baton “in the baton hand” can have a 165  See Philippines National Police Manual, 2010, at: www.use-of-force.info