Prison Incident Response Roles: NTRG, Tornado, ORRU 2026

In shortLocal staff handle most incidents; the PSPRB names two national resources, the ORRU and Operation Tornado teams, for what exceeds an establishment's capacity.

In a prison, most incidents are dealt with by the staff on duty. Local responders, including control and restraint trained officers and staff on the establishment's response team, deal with the majority. When an incident exceeds what the establishment can safely manage, national resources are used.

There are also supporting roles that matter in an incident: command, communication, negotiation, first aid, search and dogs. The PSPRB reproduces the POA's list of voluntary or specialist tasks, which includes:

Operational Response and Resilience Unit (ORRU)

A national resource trained for the most serious incidents (named in the Prison Service Pay Review Body's 2026 report).

Operation Tornado

Staff trained to support other establishments in an emergency.

• Negotiator.
• ACCT assessor.
• Control and restraint instructor.
• Control and restraint Tornado or advanced course.
• First aider.
• Local Response Team.
• Care Team and Mental Health Allies (TRiM-trained staff).
• Control room operator.
• Separation centres.
• Family liaison officer, and others.

In shortThe ORRU on-call allowance is £8,000 a year for 26 weeks on call; the PSPRB made no change in 2026 and will next review it in its 2030 report.

• On-call allowance£8,000 a yearRaised from £6,670 after the 2025 report, a near 20% increase
• On call26 weeks a yearOutside normal working hours
• Introduced1 April 2019
• Next review2030 reportNo change in 2026

The PSPRB's 2026 report says the ORRU on-call allowance is aimed at compensating staff in the National Tactical Response Group and the National Dog and Technical Support Group, together forming the ORRU, for having to be on call outside normal working hours for 26 weeks a year. The Review Body says:

• The ORRU is part of the Service's national resource, trained to be deployed at the most serious, high-risk incidents within prisons along with incidents at height.
• The unit requires a higher level of regular physical fitness testing, and training involves a range of tactical options and equipment.
• It can be called on at the request of other organisations such as immigration removal centres, prisons in the Isle of Man and Channel Islands, courts and the three secure hospitals.
• When not dealing with incidents, ORRU staff provide a training function.

In shortA 2021 HMPPS job description shows NTRG roles combine response, command support and training and are built around on-call availability; it is an older source.

• DocumentHQ-JES-1629Version 4.0, issued 11 February 2021; band 4 NTRG National Instructor Supervisor
• On call24/7On a rotational basis
• Travel limit when on call30 minutesFrom the operational response vehicle

The job description (an older source) describes the NTRG as part of the ORRU within the Security, Order and Counter Terrorism Directorate. It says the post holder responds to operational incidents within the HMPPS and contracted-out estate and immigration centres.

That tells you something useful beyond the job title: these roles combine response, command support and training. We deliberately do not describe tactics or equipment.

If you are considering the role, read the current job advert and speak to colleagues in the unit; selection standards, training length and current vacancies are not in any primary source we could open.

• During deployment the post holder is accountable to a Team Leader who is in direct contact with the Silver Commander and National Tactical Advisor.
• On call they provide advice to Gold, Silver and Bronze commanders, incident management and team leads.
• It lists competence in working at height, method of entry and intervention.
• Responsibilities include maintaining specialist equipment, providing feedback at operational debriefs, and ensuring prisoners in their care during incidents are appropriately supervised and controlled while decency and health and safety are maintained.
• The role involves delivering the Use of Force syllabus to public and private prisons.

In shortTornado teams support other establishments in emergencies and are paid £40.00 an hour for officers and £30.00 for OSGs, with an ongoing shortage of trained staff.

• Officers£40.00 an hourContinuing from 1 April 2026
• OSGs£30.00 an hourContinuing from 1 April 2026
• Tornado spendingDown 7.9%Between 2023-24 and 2024-25
• POA 2026 proposal£500 retainerAnnual, for the initial course and annual refresher

The PSPRB's report explains, in a footnote, that Operation Tornado teams consist of staff trained specifically to deal with serious incidents in prisons, used to support other establishments in the event of an operational emergency. It lists the kinds of incident as:

• Serious disturbances.
• Hostage incidents.
• Any incident where the establishment does not have the resources to cope, for example a need to transfer large numbers of prisoners at short notice.

In shortDog handling roles carry specific allowances; dedicated search teams are a 2018 announcement whose current structure we could not verify.

The National Dog and Technical Support Group is, per the PSPRB, part of the ORRU. The PSPRB also recorded POA proposals about dog trainers in 2026; our specialist prison roles pay guide covers the pay side.

Dog handler pay

A pensionable £1,200 specialist allowance for patrol and search dog handlers and PEIs, which the report's appendix shows for closed grades and as not applicable to Fair and Sustainable grades. Plus a Care and Maintenance of Dogs allowance of £2,945 a year for one dog (increased 3.5% from 1 April 2026), with a multiple-dog rate 25% higher.

Dedicated search teams (GOV.UK, 23 November 2018)

The press release described over 100 specialist prison officers being recruited, teams already deployed in eight high-security prisons and a roll-out to over 100 prisons, organised in regional hubs covering the north and south of England and Wales. They were to act on intelligence from mobile phone detection technology and work with search dog units and other equipment against drugs, drones and mobile phones, with £4.3 million for the roll-out.

In shortThe PSPRB records rising incidents, including at height, and new equipment and safety measures, while the Use of Force Policy Framework governs recording and review.

The PSPRB's 2026 report records HMPPS saying staff have had to deal with an increasing number of incidents, including incidents at height. It also records:

• Investment of around £40 million in physical security in 34 prisons.
• Mandatory protective body armour in the riskiest areas of the long-term and high security estate.
• A trial of tasers.
• PAVA and rigid bar handcuffs being rolled out to all operational band 3 to 5 staff (our body-worn cameras and PAVA guide covers the first-line kit).
• Body-worn video cameras in the adult estate and a new personal safety package with a professional standard for use of force.

In shortA hot debrief, TRiM and Care Teams are available in all establishments; use them, and tell your own Care Team if you are deployed away from home.

Responders see and do things that can leave a mark, and the people who attend serious incidents may not have a Care Team on their own landing. HMPPS says:

• A hot debrief is held immediately after serious incidents.
• TRiM is available in all establishments, and all establishments have Care Teams and TRiM teams.
• TRiM practitioners signpost to the services staff need.
• Managers should actively encourage staff to use staff care services, because the effects may not be immediately apparent.

In shortWe could not verify application routes, selection criteria, course length or pass requirements for these roles from a primary source, so ask on the ground and check the money.

For general fitness standards for joining, see our fitness test guide; for the control and restraint element of foundation training, see the control and restraint guide. The promotion guide and ranks and grades guide cover wider career moves.