Our RBL Secretary phoned me about PME forms after the local ACF contacted him about it with regard to Remembrance.
I had a look and as far as I can make out it’s down to the organisers to sort out and we just male a reference to it somewhere on the PIPE.
But I did say to him I don’t see how our parade is a military event, given neither us or the ACF are really military. I’ve sent it to him and await further questions.
I found a couple on SharePoint and they did seem like someone getting carried with themselves.
We generally submit a PME when it is an event that can be seen as military such as Armed Forces Day parades or Remembrance Sunday. Although we are not the Armed Forces, we wear the uniform and will be seen as “military”. That said, our brigade submits notifications for all Remembrance events on our behalf so that we don’t have to, so I only do one a year for Armed Forces Day. Technically speaking, only one PME needs to be submitted for all “military” participants in a parade, and that should be done by whoever is in charge of the military presence, be it regular, reserve or cadet. I wouldn’t necessarily expect the RBL to do it as they are outside of the military system, although I know some do take care of it on behalf of cadets.
Of course, for low level events like this, all a PME is for is to notify police about the event. If the parade goes through the street, chances are the local force knows about it already anyway.
To be fair though a PME form is not that complicated and as long as you know about the event a suitable time in advance (as you would for Remembrance Sunday and Armed Forces Day) it isn’t a big problem. If you have done it once you can just change the date on it every year…
We have to put a PME in for large events, especially those that have been advertised in advance, giving 6 weeks notice. If taking part in a larger event being organised by another military or civilian authority, they are responsible for letting the local police know, but we have to ensure they have.
Reading the ATC blurb it does state the organisers do it which seems sensible. I don’t organise any of the parades we take part in and wouldn’t see it as my responsibility to let the police know it’s happening.
The only military we get at any parade is the odd person on leave, who turns up in uniform.
My understanding is that only one person needs to complete the form. So if ACF and ATC parade, the lead would need to sort.
For the last few years also, we have been told not to put on in for Remembrance Sunday and poppy selling as the RBL tend to inform the local police. Generally the local police are already aware about the local parades that happen year in and year out.
I hàve been told that if we are wearing uniform in public. It is a public military event. I have a recruiting stall at a local fete with some car parking and whq will not authorise without a PME return.
That does not align with the guidance available on SharePoint. That allows for minor events in uniform. PME seems to be geared towards large, pre-publicised “military” parades and activities rather than small squadron events or appearances in public. The poster is short on detail though.
This used to be the ACF stance, but they have since come to their senses. These days we are only required to do them if it is a large pre-advertised event such as parades. In the past, the police have even gotten annoyed at all the PMEs and told us to stop sending them for every little thing.
After submitting a Minor Event, I recently had an email that said the below. Process could possibly change again…
“There has been some discussion in the office and with Special Branch on the minor events decision. I don’t know the history of it, when the original decision was made, which police were involved etc but the upshot at the moment for Leicestershire Police is we need a PME.
The brief we have had from our Sergeant and SB is ‘it’s either a PME or it isn’t. There is no in between’.”
