A/HRC/31/66 by officers.48 Proper record keeping of decisions made by command officers at all levels is also required. Law enforcement officials must be clearly and individually identifiable, for example by displaying a nameplate or number. In addition, there should be a clear system of record keeping or register of the equipment provided to individual officers in an operation, including vehicles, firearms and ammunition. 66. As a general rule, the military should not be used to police assemblies. In exceptional circumstances where this becomes necessary, the military must be subordinate to civilian authorities.49 The military must also be fully trained in, adopt and be bound by international human rights law and principles, as well as any law enforcement policy, guidelines and ethics, and be provided with any other training and equipment necessary. In order to comply with these requirements, the State must put measures in place far in advance, should such a situation arise later. 67. Practical recommendations: (a) States should ensure that law enforcement officials have the equipment, training and instructions necessary to police assemblies wherever possible without recourse to any use of force; (b) Tactics in the policing of assemblies should emphasize de-escalation tactics based on communication, negotiation and engagement. Training of law enforcement officials should include pre- and in-service instruction in both classroom and scenario-based settings; (c) Before the selection and procurement of equipment, including for lesslethal weapons, by law enforcement agencies for use in assemblies, States should subject such equipment to a transparent and independent assessment to determine compliance with international human rights law and standards. In particular, equipment should be assessed for accuracy, reliability and its ability to minimize physical and psychological harm. Equipment should be procured only where there is sufficient capacity to train officers effectively on its proper use; (d) Specific regulations and detailed operational guidance should be developed and publicly disseminated on the use of tactical options in assemblies, including weapons, which, by design, tend to be indiscriminate, such as tear gas and water cannons. Training must encompass the lawful and appropriate use of less-lethal equipment in crowds. Law enforcement officials should also be properly trained on protective equipment and clearly instructed that such equipment should be used exclusively as defensive tools. States should monitor the effectiveness of the training in the prevention of abuse or misuse of weapons and tactics; (e) Automatic firearms should not be used in the policing of assemblies under any circumstances; (f) Autonomous weapons systems that require no meaningful human control should be prohibited, and remotely controlled force should only ever be used with the greatest caution; (g) States should develop comprehensive guidelines on the dispersal of assemblies in accordance with international human rights law and principles. Such guidelines should be made public and provide practical guidance to law enforcement officials detailing the circumstances that warrant dispersal, all steps required to be 48 49 Principles 24-26 of the Basic Principles. Commentary to article 1 of the Code of Conduct. 15

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