Providing a unified set of instructions for managing "manageable portions" of a crowd to prevent mass escalation.
Outlining a hierarchy of intervention, from initial communication and negotiation with organizers to the eventual use of force if a breach of the peace occurred. public order manual poman 1971
While the manual aimed for "policing by consent," critics have long pointed to its more aggressive tactical guidelines. Some historians and civil liberties groups argue that POMAN 1971 introduced "pre-emptive" strategies that prioritized containment over facilitating expression. Providing a unified set of instructions for managing