Lost your Password?
Click Here
Don't have an account?
Register Here
Welcome to the EuroPris Knowledge Management System. The table below shows questions and responses from European National Agencies. Select a question for more information or use the filters on the left to narrow down questions based on Agency or Category.
Want to ask a question? Please read our guidance information found here: Submitting a KMS Question
← Back Search KMSThis content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
Introduction: At present, the General Directorate of the Corps of Prison and Court Guard of the Slovak Republic is innovating and introducing new armament and equipment materials. As part of these questions, we are interested in the knowledge on methods of introducing innovations and novelties in your prison service, which could be applied and used in our conditions as well.
No. Prison regulations establish the coercive means that may be applied by prison professionals in the cases provided for in the General Penitentiary Organic Law. These coercive means are: provisional isolation, the minimum essential physical force, rubber defenses, appropriate action aerosols and handcuffs.
If you use non-lethal weapons, are tear gas instruments (spray or JPX Protector) included? Please, describe what type(s) and model(s) you use.Currently, a technical specification sheet is being drawn up for the centralized acquisition of aerosols with adequate action, adapted to the inherent needs of the prison environment that requires its use in closed spaces.
How do you proceed when assigning the armaments to prison officers?The aforementioned coercive means are not assigned to prison professionals. These means are located in the dependencies/departments designated by the Penitentiary Center Management, who must authorize their use unless reasons of urgency do not allow it, in which case they will be informed immediately.
Do you use bulletproof ballistic vests when securing protection of health and life of prison officers? Do you have various types of ballistic vests or just one type? What prison officers’ positions have ballistic vests assigned?Yes. Anti-cut and anti-puncture protection vests, which have ballistic protection, are available to officers, distributed in those departments designated by the Security Directorate or Subdirectorate of the penitentiary.
What is the procedure when procuring and innovating new armaments and equipment materials for prison staff?The acquisition of coercive means and personal protection elements is carried out in a centralized manner, by the General Subdirectorate for Planning and Economic Management, from where it is distributed to the different penitentiary centers, according to their needs.
Are newly recruited prison officers entitled to complete equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) when joining the prison service?The only individual protection equipment that is delivered to all penitentiary professionals are anti-cut and anti-puncture protection gloves, for carrying out searches. As reflected above, in prisons there are certain personal protection elements (helmets, vests, riot gear) of different sizes, for use by prison professionals.
This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
We mostly use pepparspray. If inmates barricade themselves in their cell, we use teargas. We started using pepparspray in 2011. All prisonstaff (except in open prisons) are allowed to carry/use pepparspray, and it is part of their standard equipment. We believe that it has a preventive effect.
If you use non-lethal weapons, are tear gas instruments (spray or JPX Protector) included? Please, describe what type(s) and model(s) you use.If we use teargas, the staff wears masks. The teargas we use is tyoically small cans with gas (½ liter app.).
How do you proceed when assigning the armaments to prison officers?We don't use weapons in Danish prisons. We only have pepparspray (and batongs and handcuffs). The prison officers, who work directly with inmates, carry pepparspray.
Do you use bulletproof ballistic vests when securing protection of health and life of prison officers? Do you have various types of ballistic vests or just one type? What prison officers’ positions have ballistic vests assigned?Yes, we use bulletproof vests or plug vests, mostly during transportation of inmates (when we are out of the facilities/prisons, if we go to court, hospitals, etc. We have two kinds of vests. The "normal" one (bulletproof) and a speciel thick one, that gives extra protection if we have riots, fights etc. All prison officers who goes outside prison areas with an inmate can wear bulletproof vest.
What is the procedure when procuring and innovating new armaments and equipment materials for prison staff?We follow central procurement procedures, and it is the central security department, that determines what kind of equipment we use and they also determine the technical descriptions. Normally we use tenders in order to buy any sort of equipment due to legal rules.
Are newly recruited prison officers entitled to complete equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) when joining the prison service?All prison officers have to undergo training, before they are allowed to use armaments (pepparspray, teargas, etc.). The officers can replace equipment at any time.
This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
At present HMPPS do not include any Less Lethal tactical options as defined within UK Legislation. We are currently undertaking a programme to provide all operational staff in Bands 3-5 (uniformed officers) within the Adult male estate (18 years+) with ‘PAVA’, an irritant spray deployed from a handheld cannister. Its use is for personal safety only, self or others, and not for planned tactical interventions. Our national specialist response teams are authorised to use PAVA during planned Interventions, but only on the authorisation of a Silver Commander (local managerial grade responsible for the incident)
If you use non-lethal weapons, are tear gas instruments (spray or JPX Protector) included? Please, describe what type(s) and model(s) you use.PAVA Irritant spray Chemical name Pelargonic acid vanillylamide, 0.3% solution (nonivamide) Solvent Monopropylene glycol, ethanol, water Propellant Nitrogen Formulation used Liquid spray PAVA is a synthetic variant of capsaicin (the active ingredient of natural pepper). The version issued within HMPPS is – Captor 360.
How do you proceed when assigning the armaments to prison officers?All staff must complete an accredited course in the use of PAVA before being issued a cannister. All cannisters have a serial number which is then assigned to an individual member of staff. Regular checks include weighing the cannister, to ensure not used, and audit inspections. If used the canister is weighed, sealed in an evidence bag and secured safely. The user must complete a report detailing the use of PAVA. When finishing their shift staff must secure their issued PAVA in an individual locker, which is located in a sterile area of the prison. PAVA is not authorise dto be taken out of the establishment, unless for specific operational circumstances.
Do you use bulletproof ballistic vests when securing protection of health and life of prison officers? Do you have various types of ballistic vests or just one type? What prison officers’ positions have ballistic vests assigned?Only our national specialist teams and staff on Category A (highest level of security) prisoner escorts are issued ballistic body armour. We issue KR2 & SP2 (knife resistance and stab protection level 2) to staff who are involved in planned removals of prisoners offering a serious threat. All ballistic body armour also meets KR2 & SP2 level protection. Our mutual aid Tornado (riot teams ) staff are all issued individual body armour for when deployed.
What is the procedure when procuring and innovating new armaments and equipment materials for prison staff?This is normally by a dedicated project team who have specific terms of reference to work to. Market research is our main avenue for innovation along with bespoke development for items that are generally only utilised within a custodial setting. The development stage will also include medical, legal, technical, financial and commercial input before procuring, and a trial, with evaluations by a dedicated evidence-based practice team, before proceeding to full rollout.
Are newly recruited prison officers entitled to complete equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) when joining the prison service?Once trained all new staff will receive the same equipment as their existing colleagues, depending on their role and prison they are assigned to. No restrictions are placed on staff due to experience.
This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
Non-lethal weapons are defined to be CS-gas,OC gaz, APS telescope batong, Long club, Shield, Security-cell and Security-bed. All have been in use for many years.
If you use non-lethal weapons, are tear gas instruments (spray or JPX Protector) included? Please, describe what type(s) and model(s) you use.Yes, CS-tear gas, and OC pepperspray.
How do you proceed when assigning the armaments to prison officers?The staff do not carry any non lethal weapons permanently. All use of the non lethal weapons must be taken by the prison governor or one given a written authorisation. All staff is trained to use non-lethal weapons. The basic training is done by the Universty College of Norwegian Correctional Service( KRUS). Local prisons have sertified instructors who carry out the training for substitute officers without the two years education. They also carry out the continuing education for all operative staff at least twice a year. A prison officer must check the safety equiptment frequently to be able to dress up quickly in case of need. There is storage and suitable sizes for the staff in all prisons. This is equipped each prison by the Correctional service.
Do you use bulletproof ballistic vests when securing protection of health and life of prison officers? Do you have various types of ballistic vests or just one type? What prison officers’ positions have ballistic vests assigned?Yes. All equiptment must be approved by the Directorate of Norwegian Correctional service. There is a national purchase scheme which ensure the use of uniformed equiptment nationally. There is one model only in use for all prisons. Detaliled information of the technical spesifications will be given when requested to the Directorate.
What is the procedure when procuring and innovating new armaments and equipment materials for prison staff?There is a central procurement procedure in all these matters. Input to procure new equiptment is usually given from the security management in the local prisons or the rgional offices to the Directorate of Correctioal Service. Staff unions are always involved and can give their opinions. The Directorate of Correctional Service decides the requirements for new contracts. The Correctional Service has a close cooperation with the Police and the Custom Service on these purchasing matters.
Are newly recruited prison officers entitled to complete equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) when joining the prison service?Yes. The basic training is part of the College- education for the prison staff. Substitues who are engaged locally is given training by a sertified officer before entering the work in the prison. Each prison has a storage to give each officer. Equiptment is replaced when needed. The equiptment must alwas be ready for operation.
In our Belgian prisons only the baton, hand / leg cuffs and the riot shield are used, and this in a defensive way.
If you use non-lethal weapons, are tear gas instruments (spray or JPX Protector) included? Please, describe what type(s) and model(s) you use.The use of tear gas products by our officers is not permitted.
How do you proceed when assigning the armaments to prison officers?These are distributed when our intervention teams are deployed. These are not worn during the day-to-day operation by the officers.
Do you use bulletproof ballistic vests when securing protection of health and life of prison officers? Do you have various types of ballistic vests or just one type? What prison officers’ positions have ballistic vests assigned?These are not worn by the officers inside the prison.
What is the procedure when procuring and innovating new armaments and equipment materials for prison staff?The needs are always questioned with the staff, the training centers and the directorate integral security. The market is explored through various ways to ultimately come to a purchase of a good product.
Are newly recruited prison officers entitled to complete equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) when joining the prison service?Only after specific training, education and testing can the intervention equipment be used by an officer under the conditions of point 3.
This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.