Strategic Public Protection Unit (SPPU)

The Strategic Public Protection Unit (SPPU) was introduced to support and manage some of the most sensitive and high risk matters of policing. It is responsible for co-ordination of policy and procedures relating to areas of Public Protection and is based at Headquarters.

The areas below are managed by the SPPU:

  • Child abuse investigation
  • Domestic abuse
  • Missing persons
  • Vulnerable adults
  • Mental health
  • Sexual offences
  • Managing sex offenders and violent offenders
  • Disclosure to family court proceedings
  • Human trafficking

Responsibility also lies with the SPPU to ensure the policies and procedures are consistent on the three Area Public Protection Units (PPUs) and to communicate good working practice to those units.

Overall, the SPPU:

  • Implements legislation and guidelines from the Home Office and The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).
  • Establish and implement policy and procedures arising from good practice.
  • Support the provision of training to all staff involved in the area of Public Protection both internally and externally.

Child abuse investigation

The SPPU will support the Police response to child abuse and in the following way:

  • Support the responsibility of the area PPUs in the operational policing and investigation of all matters of child abuse ensuring the welfare of the child is paramount and the rights of child victims of crime are protected.
  • Ensure that the investigation of child abuse remains a mainstream policing activity within the area PPUs.
  • Support the area PPUs in taking effective action against offenders and the subsequent management of those offenders through MAPPA.

Domestic abuse

The SPPU will support the Police response to domestic abuse in the following way:

  • Support the responsibility of the area PPU in the operational policing and investigation of all matters of domestic abuse.
  • Support the area PPUs in taking effective action against offenders and where appropriate the subsequent management of those offenders through MAPPA.
  • Representation at domestic abuse forums across the Force Area.

Missing persons

The SPPU will support the Police response to reports of missing persons in the following way:

Support the responsibility of the area in the operational policing and investigation of all reports of missing people including:

  • The risk assessment of those reports
  • The investigation of reports
  • The preservation of evidence when appropriate
  • That staff are adequately trained
  • That the needs of the family, those close to the family and the community are supported.
  • Ensure that a clear policy is in place, describing roles, responsibilities and processes for dealing with reports of missing people.

Vulnerable Adults / Mental Health

The SPPU will support the Police response to issues involving vulnerable adults, which will include mental health issues, in the following way:

  • Support the responsibility of the BCU in the operational policing and investigation of all matters involving vulnerable adults.
  • Ensure that a clear policy is in place, describing roles, responsibilities and processes for dealing with issues involving vulnerable adults.
  • Ensure that a clear policy is in place, describing roles, responsibilities and processes for dealing with issues involving mental health

Sexual Offences

The SPPU will support the Police response to reports of sexual offences in the following way:

  • Support the responsibility of the BCU in the operational policing and investigation of sexual offences.
  • Support the improvement in the treatment of victims who make allegations of serious sexual offences.
  • Facilitating effective action against offenders so that they can be held accountable through the criminal justice system.

Managing Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders

The SPPU will support the Police response to the management of sexual offenders and violent offenders in the following way:

  • Take reasonable action to protect the general public, particular individuals and groups from serious harm and from re-victimisation;
  • Support the responsibility of the BCU in:
    • effectively managing information relating to public protection, including using it to protect the public, prevent crime and assist in investigations;
    • identifying, assessing and managing the risk posed by sex offenders and violent offenders in the multi-agency environment;
    • taking action against offenders so that they can be held accountable through the criminal justice system, while protecting others from serious harm;
  • Adopt a multi-agency approach to protecting the public and bringing offenders to justice;

Human Trafficking

The Unit Head will act as the Force Strategic lead and will be responsible for the co-ordination of operations to ensure an effective response to related intelligence.