The Home Secretary said she had launched a formal review days after an armed police officer was charged with the murder of 23-year-old Chris Kaba . a black man who was shot dead while driving through south London last November.
Suella Braverman has backed armed police after a member of the gun squad was charged with murder, saying police officers should not fear «being in the dock».
The Home Secretary said launched a formal investigation days after an armed police officer was charged with the murder of Chris Kaba, a 23-year-old black man who was shot dead while driving through south London last November.
Yesterday the Sunday Telegraph reported that counter-terrorism specialists were among a growing number of Metropolitan Police officers who had handed in their weapons in anger over the move.
Ms Braverman tweeted this morning: “We We rely on our brave firearms officers to protect us from the most dangerous and violent people in society.
“In the interests of public safety, they have to make split-second decisions under extreme pressure.
“They should not be afraid of being put in the dock for carrying out their duties. The officers who put their lives on the line for our safety have my full support, and I will do everything in my power to support them.
«That's why I started the review, to make sure they were confident they were doing their job to protect us all.»
Chris Kaba, 24, was shot dead during a police operation in Streatham Hill, south London, last year
Apparently the firearms teams, which include vital armed response vehicles, are also refusing to work.
One firearms officer told The Sunday Telegraph: “I have never seen such anger among my colleagues.”< /p>
Officers working in SCO19 — a unit specializing in firearms — told their superiors they no longer wanted to carry guns, a day after a Met officer appeared in court charged with the murder of Kaba, who was unarmed when he was shot.
< p>There are more than 3,000 firearms officers in a number of Met departments, but the loss of so many at once has led to concerns about the force's ability to carry out its duties and keep the public safe.
One source said: «These officers are highly trained professionals who take their roles and responsibilities very seriously, but they are simply no longer willing to take the risk of going to work with all the dangers it poses, as well as the risk of being accused of crimes.» murder.
“A lot of them are just fed up and they say it's not worth it anymore.”
The armed officer, identified as NX121, appeared in the Magistrate's Court on Thursday Westminster and also at the Old Bailey, charged with the murder of Mr Kaba on September 5 last year.
He was granted bail and remains on bail. he is expected to stand trial next year.
Hours after he appeared in court, Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Commissioner, met with around 70 concerned firearms officers.
'Courage comes to the rescue. many forms'
Sir Mark issued a statement after the meeting, saying: “They were understandably concerned as they considered how others might judge their snap decisions years after the event, given as much time as they wanted and what the impact this can have on them and their families.
“Today I continue my work and our firearms officers are out on patrol, as they do every day, participating in preventive and counter-terrorism operations.
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“Not only are they prepared to confront armed and dangerous forces to protect the people of London, but they do so with an awareness of the unique, intense and lasting personal responsibility they will face for their momentary operational decisions.
“Indeed, I understand why many of them are pondering the potential cost of such heavy responsibility. Bravery comes in many forms.
“When officers experience the same uncertainty and anxiety that I saw in my colleagues today, just going to work and doing their job without knowing what incidents lie ahead of them , is courage.”< /p>
A Met spokesman denied the event had affected the force's ability to carry out its protective duties and keep Londoners safe.
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