Response from NPCC lead for Armed Policing

Chief Constable Simon Chesterman, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Armed Policing, said:

“Our thoughts remain with Mr Kaba’s family and friends, and the wider community who we know have experienced the most terrible trauma after losing him. 

“My thoughts also go to Sergeant Martyn Blake, his family, and colleagues, I do not underestimate the pressure and distress they all must have endured.

“The court case reflects the complex and difficult situations armed officers face and the decisions they have to make in a split second, under immense pressure.  In the UK it is rare that firearms officers discharge their weapons and even rarer that someone dies as a result.  When this happens, there must be proper investigation, accountability.”

“Police officers are not above the law, and nobody expects them to be, but the system that holds officers to account when they use force to protect the public, their colleagues and themselves, has become broken.

“We are supportive of the Home Secretary’s announcement and welcome their commitment to getting it right for officers and the public they serve and improving overall policing standards for communities.

“The ongoing work on the Accountability Review now has momentum to continue and is a real opportunity to get the balance right in the interests of the public we are here to protect.

“We are proud have the most restrained and professional armed officers in the world, but increasingly they are more afraid of going to prison for doing their jobs, than facing the violent and dangerous individuals we rely on them to protect us from.

“Good police officers need to know that if they do what they are trained to do, they will be supported by the leaders of the police service, Government and most importantly the public.

“We remain determined to get police accountability right and we will support Government to address concerns about the current accountability system to restore the confidence of police officers and the public.”