'File 19/172 II (C 94) Bahrain Armed Police' [‎56r] (134/478)

to life or property, or of pushing back the detachment from^if
its position, firing would be justified. Here the great legal
principle is £>glf Je l ence • i.e* as an officer of the State,
and therefore an upholder of law and order, it is an obliga
tion on an officer to see to the defence of property, life
and the safety of his detachment*
The officer should have facts ready such as "I saw
men breaking down the doors of houses, or two of my men
were rendered senseless by stones, etc."
M£Lt£—(ihl* • There should be no doubt but that the
rioters heard the warning order. Usually this is given by
sounding a bugle or whistle, then stepping forward and
warning the crowd in a loud voice that unless they immediately
disperse fire will be opened. In cross examination a
hostile prosecution is very prone to try to prove that no
adequate warning was given. Firing without warning is only
justified in an emergency, wdien the rioters are armed with
lethal weapons and are actually burning and looting houses
and beating or killing people.
Note (fl) *- It should be stated here, whether
individuals, a section, etc., were ordered to fire. The
great legal principle here is The use of Minipmm
9. Hote ls) .- The moment there are signs of dispersal
fire should be stopped, as the object of the fire has been
obta ned and the principle of minimum force is being complied
with. It is also important as in cfotes-examination a hostile
prosecution is apt to bring up all the cases of shots in
the bacK as proof that fire was continued too long.
10. The point of not attending to the wounded
was severely criticised by the Hunter Committee as showing
a lack of humanity and impartiality in one whose duty it
1 I
is to maintain law and order.
In war one tends the enemy’s wounded, and equal care
should be shown to misguided people who get wounded during
riots.
^ trust the above notes may be of use to my brother
officers.