ARMED police would rather take on terrorists than ordinary criminals because there is less risk of legal backlash, Britain’s top officer has told The Sun.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley is calling for urgent reforms to make things fairer for officers who may face years of scrutiny over their handling of life-and-death cases.
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Sir Mark Rowley said armed police would rather deal with terrorists than ordinary criminals because there is less risk of legal backlashCredit: Rex
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Met boss calls for urgent reforms to make things fairer for officers who may face years of scrutiny over their handling of life and death cases Credit: Paul Edwards
Six terrorists have been killed in four major incidents in London since 2017, without a single firearms officer being arrested or subject to a lengthy investigation by the police chief.
In contrast, armed officers who open fire while responding to other types of crime face arrests, charges and lengthy disciplinary procedures.
Sir Mark said: “One thing that really surprised me was that some of our firearms officers told me that they would rather face a well-trained terrorist on the street than a gangster.
“Because even though they would face much greater personal danger with a terrorist, they believe they will get a fair hearing in terms of the legal processes that follow.
“Whereas with gangsters they feel that campaign groups can influence accountability in a way that leads to something that is unbalanced and goes on forever.”
It comes as the Home Office is carrying out a review of police driving and use of force to see if officers have enough protection under the law.
It was ordered by former Home Secretary Suella Braverman following a revolt by hundreds of Met officers who surrendered their weapons in September when a colleague was charged with murder.
Another Met firearms officer – codenamed W80 – is still waiting to find out whether he will face a gross misconduct panel eight years after he shot dead Jermaine Baker, who was trying to break another criminal out of prison.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is trying to force the Met to hold a disciplinary hearing, even though W80 was cleared of the charges by the Crown Prosecution Service and a public inquiry.
Sir Mark said: “The inquest looked into that shooting and the inquest was satisfied with the integrity.
“However, the IOPC has ordered that he now go to a gross misconduct hearing, and it is eight years after the event.
“Even regardless of the rightness or wrongness of the IOPC’s decision, suspending someone’s career in animation with that stress for eight years is not acceptable.”
Police drivers involved in fatal pursuits and crashes have also been left in limbo, spending years on restricted duty pending investigations and trials.
Sir Mark criticized the CPS and IOPC on Friday for the prosecution of armed officer PC Paul Fisher, who crashed his unmarked car while responding to a terrorist attack in Streatham, south London, in February 2020.
Jihadist Sudesh Amman, 20, stabbed people at random before being shot dead by police.
PC Fisher was cleared of dangerous driving but the IOPC is now considering a case of serious misconduct.
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Sudesh Amman captured on CCTV before stabbing several people at randomCredit: PA
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Jihadist went on rampage after stealing knife from shop on Streatham High RoadCredit: PA
Sir Mark said outside court that he could not think of “any other country where a police officer rushing to the scene of a terrorist attack would be prosecuted for four years”.
Now Sir Mark says the criminal and civil legal processes police face are undermining their morale, self-confidence and preventing some from doing their jobs.
He wants a faster investigation by the watchdog and a single evidentiary test that meets the criminal burden of proof through misconduct hearings, investigations and court cases.
Sir Mark explained: “Through a combination of investigations, misconduct hearings and the testing of criminal charges, there are three legal processes which can stretch something out to five or even ten years.
“It’s suspending their careers and putting pressure on them and their loved ones. This is simply not acceptable when, as is usually shown in these cases, the officer acted reasonably.
“They cared about this because they were just doing their job according to the training they were given.”
Sir Mark spoke to The Sun at the Met’s public order and firearms training range in Gravesend, Kent.
He watched as police officers volunteered to undergo a second level of public order training to police large events and demonstrations, such as the recent pro-Palestinian marches.
He said: “I find it inspiring how willing officers are to do this, even though they are aware of the risk to themselves. Generally, they are more worried about the risk of subsequent IOPC investigations than the risk of dealing with really difficult people. I find that very sad.”
Having someone’s animation career on hiatus for 8 years is not acceptable.
Sir Mark Rowley
His call for a fairer system comes amid a crackdown on renegade Met officers, launched after he took over there last year following a series of scandals.
He said: “There are two separate issues here. We have hundreds of police officers who misbehave off duty or on duty and we crack down on them mercilessly.
“But it’s possible to be ruthlessly tough on that, but equally ruthlessly supportive of officers who are working really hard in difficult circumstances, using their training and making split-second decisions.
“You can be just as ruthless in caring for the good majority as you are in fighting the minority that has failed us all.”
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PC Fisher crashed an unmarked car on his way to a terror call
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Sir Mark Rowley with Sun Man Mike Sullivan Credit: Peter Jordan
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