Critical Incident Management

Summary

Critical incident management (CIM) is a practice that originated from the public inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993. It emphasizes risk management and involves principles that highlight that critical incidents are often the result of multiple factors, rather than a single action or inaction. Various types of incidents can become critical, usually categorized as high profile or serious, though not exclusively related to homicide. The police have a duty to effectively respond to every incident, ensuring appropriate actions are taken to maintain public confidence in policing, which is crucial for community trust and safety.

Key principles

• 1Risk management is central to CIM.
• 2Multiple factors can contribute to a critical incident.
• 3Not all critical incidents are high profile or homicide-related.
• 4Every incident requires an appropriate response from the police.
• 5Proactive responses are essential to maintain public confidence.

Defined terms

Critical incident management (CIM)

A systematic approach to managing critical incidents, originating from the response to the murder of Stephen Lawrence.

Principles

Fundamental guidelines that underpin critical incident management.