Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced in a statement to MPs that armed police officers charged after opening fire at suspects may have their identities kept secret unless they are convicted. This decision follows the acquittal of Metropolitan police sergeant Martyn Blake for shooting a suspect in south London in September 2022. Cooper said there will be a presumption of anonymity for officers facing criminal charges following a police shooting up to the point of conviction.
Cooper also revealed that legal thresholds for charging in police use of force cases will be reviewed, with police chiefs wanting it to be made harder to charge officers who use force in their duties. A review of thresholds for inquests and inquiries into deaths was also announced, with a consideration to increase the standard required to find someone unlawfully killed.
The home secretary emphasized the need for officers to have confidence in using their powers while reassuring communities that police are not above the law. Measures to strengthen police vetting and misconduct, as well as a faster and simpler disciplinary system for officers, were also highlighted.
However, some fear that the police may be seeking immunity from prosecution and even more protections than those announced by Cooper. Labour MP Diane Abbott raised concerns about the police being perceived as above the law, to which Cooper responded that these measures must have the confidence of the community to uphold the proud British tradition of policing by consent.
The Crown Prosecution Service will also review how they consider charging officers for alleged offenses while exercising their powers, ensuring a balance between legal certainty for officers and public scrutiny and accountability.
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