Police turn in guns - can we blame them?

GrannyGravy13

Glorianny

So if you once carry an imitation firearm, are convicted and serve your sentence every time you leave the house you are in danger of being shot? What ever sort of a justice system is that?

If you ram a police car in order to try and escape, if you are driving a car that has been used in the last 24 hours for criminal purposes and is not yours, refuse to get out of the car when requested, you have made those choices…

You have absolutely no evidence of this. It's pure conjecture. Black men are very reluctant to comply with police requests in London because of the Met's record of treating them badly..
He was chased by an unmarked car, turned into a street where he was jammed in and surrounded.
Even if he was guilty of all the crimes you describe shooting him was never necessary

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

I would hate to be a policeman these days. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Every time firearms are involved there is a full enquiry here, even if it is totally obvious the police person was in danger. Often these events seem to involve mental health on the part of the perpetrator and you feel so sorry for them but what do the police do if they are threatened with knives, hatchets or whatever? Run away and hide? Capsicum spray is used but even then the police get into trouble because that can be really damaging,too.

Message withdrawn as it quotes a deleted post.

Message withdrawn as it quotes a deleted post.

Hear hear Rosie from another Mum of a police officer

Glorianny

So if you once carry an imitation firearm, are convicted and serve your sentence every time you leave the house you are in danger of being shot? What ever sort of a justice system is that?

If you are still carrying one, then yes.

As this case is sub judice, information is sparse.

The jury will make the final decision as to whether this police officer is guilty of anything.

But, guns are getting more common (real or otherwise), and the police are increasingly made to make split second decisions.

I don't envy the armed officers.

The Met police are already on a sticky wicket, as a result of failed scrutiny and accountability.

Without proper and essential good governance, there is a serious problem, and this has been more than obvious during the past few years.

Dame Louise Casey has produced a report on the standards and culture of the Met Police, and finds a number of serious failings - the armed unit was particularly singled out with a culture of entitlement and an inclination to subvert authority.
(Guardian)
The Met simply cannot afford to let this go. The IOPC and CPS are right in bringing this case to court and it should be done so with due diligence and procedure.

Every citizen in the U.K. is governed by the rule of law. The armed unit of the Met are no exception.

To all those who are saying the shooting was justified and who are concerned about their loved ones who are police officers can I point out the possibility that this makes the police less safe and more liable to attack. Because if a criminal believes that they may be shot anyway and they have a gun they are more likely to use it first.

Pointing a live weapon at anyone is always going to be a risk of accidental shooting and in my opinion the police should not be doing that. They should be ready but unless a gun is actually aimed at them it should be “safe”, yes there is a risk in that but just like a soldier they are being paid to take that risk. They are wearing body protection which the suspect won’t be so the risk to them is much less.

I am glad our police are armed. Truncheons don’t cut it these days. Across the world most police forces realise this.

nanna8

I am glad our police are armed. Truncheons don’t cut it these days. Across the world most police forces realise this.

Australian police are far more scary than most British police.

UK police are one of the very few police forces to be largely unarmed. For those saying they wear protection, the stab vest the ordinary police wear is no protection against a bullet and offers limited body protection against stabbing. PC Keith Palmer was stabbed to death despite wearing protection by Khalid Masood the man responsible for the Westminster Bridge attack.
Of course any shooting incident has to be investigated, but the process is far too long, and now a decision to prosecute has been made that should happen now, not next year. How compelling is the evidence is given that it's taken a whole year to decide on a prosecution, but no doubt that will come out in court? Until then, those deciding the officer is guilty of murder on limited reporting, I hope you're never on a jury.

Oops one too many "is" in the penultimate sentence.

How compelling is the evidence is given that it's taken a whole year to decide on a prosecution, but no doubt that will come out in court?
It is the same in virtually every case that is put to the CPS, I'm afraid. We had a case with an abused child where the offender admitted it in the first police interview and it still took well over a year to come to court. At one stage, for one of the charges, the court insisted that the offender couldn't plead guilty for one of the charges until something was addressed so the case was adjourned for a further period. Meanwhile a child and her family were suffering not knowing what was going to happen.
The Court System is broken too!

The Met police are already on a sticky wicket, as a result of failed scrutiny and accountability.

^^This! The police should be accountable and at the moment the only way forward for this particular police officer is to face trial through the same system that any body else would have to face. Maybe there should be a separate independent system for cases like this which would be robust, have the same sentencing powers but would be moved through the system quickly so this is not hanging over the families for such a long time.

Glorianny

GrannyGravy13

Glorianny

So if you once carry an imitation firearm, are convicted and serve your sentence every time you leave the house you are in danger of being shot? What ever sort of a justice system is that?

If you ram a police car in order to try and escape, if you are driving a car that has been used in the last 24 hours for criminal purposes and is not yours, refuse to get out of the car when requested, you have made those choices…

You have absolutely no evidence of this. It's pure conjecture. Black men are very reluctant to comply with police requests in London because of the Met's record of treating them badly..
He was chased by an unmarked car, turned into a street where he was jammed in and surrounded.
Even if he was guilty of all the crimes you describe shooting him was never necessary

Everything in my post is in the public domain, has been widely reported on all MSM.

He was not shot because he was thought to be guilty of a crime; he was shot because he was thought to pose a serious threat to the life of others.

eazybee

He was not shot because he was thought to be guilty of a crime; he was shot because he was thought to pose a serious threat to the life of others.

This

We do not have capital punishment in this country, for any crime or none.

Callistemon21

nanna8

I am glad our police are armed. Truncheons don’t cut it these days. Across the world most police forces realise this.

Australian police are far more scary than most British police.

Police in any other country are far more scary than the British police!

eazybee

He was not shot because he was thought to be guilty of a crime; he was shot because he was thought to pose a serious threat to the life of others.

You are intimating that it was a deliberate shooting Much more likely is an accidental shooting, no gun was seen or found so he was no direct threat

If you are going to train police to point a live weapon at a suspect accidents are going to happen

Northern Ireland police officers are the only force to carry guns, I seem to remember in the Blue Lights series trainees having to pass a simulated area where they were failed if they shot the wrong people. I wonder if any such test exists in armed police training here?

Reported for advertising weapons

nanna8

Reported for advertising weapons

I reported it as well.