Vulnerability Unit
The Police have a general responsibility for the protection of life and limb. The prevention and detection of crime and involvement in cases of child protection stems from this responsibility.
The Vulnerability Units work in the fields of Adult, Child and Public Protection together with Domestic Violence. They provide a service that includes:
- Protect life and prevent/detect crime.
- Investigate (often serious) crimes against children.
- Instigate criminal proceedings (in conjunction with the Crown Prosecution Service) provided there is sufficient evidence and that it is in the public interest to do so.
- Share information within, and where necessary outside of the Police Service to protect children.
- Make decisions and undertake risk assessments.
- Undertake emergency protection of abused or neglected children and the use of powers of entry and removal where necessary.
- Share information about sex offenders for Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA).
