Police 'losing confidence to use powers' after murder trial of officer who shot Chris Kaba, claims Tory MP
by Flaminia Luck · LBCBy Flaminia Luck
Frontline police are losing the confidence to use their full powers after lengthy prosecutions like the trial of the officer who shot Chris Kaba, the shadow Home Secretary has said.
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Mr Kaba, 24, was unarmed when firearms officer Martyn Blake shot him through the windscreen of an Audi Q8 as he tried to ram his way past police cars in Lambeth, south London, in 2022.
Last month, Martyn Blake was cleared of murder by a jury at the Old Bailey last month.
Chris Philp told a policing conference in Westminster that if the Government does not bring in legal changes to give officers better protection he will bring proposals to Parliament himself.
He said: "Many officers I've spoken to...feel their reasonable use of force or other police powers is treated disproportionately or unreasonably after the event, in a way that doesn't reflect and recognise the pressures of dealing with an incident or the split second decision making, which is inevitably required.
"Some incidents go into lengthy and bureaucratic Independent Office for Police Conduct investigations, or even prosecutions, where common sense says that is not appropriate."
Last September, dozens of officers handed in their weapons to protest the decision to charge a colleague with the murder of Kaba.
James O'Brien on the Chris Kaba case
Mr Philp also cited the case of Pc Paul Fisher, who was cleared of dangerous driving after crashing on the way to a terrorist incident in Streatham, south east London.
"We need police officers on the front line to be prepared to take the lawful action necessary to protect themselves and the public," delegates were told.
"We need them to drive quickly to the scene of an attack by terrorists and save lives.
"We need stop and search to be used to take knives off our streets, we need force to be used where necessary to detain suspects, and I'm concerned that officers are losing the confidence to exercise those powers as required to keep the public safe."
Read more: Inquest to open into killing of Harshita Brella - as police release CCTV images of prime suspect
Plans have been drawn up that would offer anonymity to firearms officers accused of murder over a shooting in the line of duty, and raise the bar for criminal charges used by a police watchdog.
Mr Philp said he wants the Government to allow officers to use the fact they were acting in line with their training as a defence to a criminal or misconduct charge.
"I believe that it should be a defence to both misconduct proceedings and also criminal proceedings, if an officer can show that the way they acted was following materially their training or standard procedures in the way they exercise their powers.
"I think that will really help give officers the confidence to use those powers."
He went on: "If the Government doesn't make those changes, then at the next opportunity, as the shadow Home Secretary, I will seek to introduce those measures as an amendment to the next piece of legislation that goes through Parliament."
Sadiq Khan 'expresses gratitude' to Martyn Blake for shooting Chris Kaba
'Incredible job'
The mayor of London offered his direct thanks to Martyn Blake on LBC for his efforts in keeping the capital safe.
He also thanked other armed police officers for their efforts in keeping the streets of London safe.
Mr Khan refused to name Mr Blake directly, choosing instead to refer to him by his codename NX121.
Mr Khan said armed police officers “deserve our support.”
“They need to have the confidence of knowing when they make that split second decision they need to be supported, and not thrown under a bus.
“I will say thank you today. I want to thank NX121 and all the other firearms officers for the incredible job they do.
“They do an incredible job every single day. I want to thank not just him but all the other officers who do this on a daily basis, knowing the scrutiny they come under if god forbid somebody takes out their gun and somebody loses their life.
But he added: “When somebody loses their life after being in contact with the police, we have got to have a system of proper scrutiny and accountability.”
Natasha Devon argues with caller Paul who believes that Chris Kaba 'deserved to die'
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley previously said: "No police officer is above the law, but we have been clear that the system holding police to account is broken.
"I worry about the lack of support officers face for doing their best, but most of all, I worry for the public.
"The more we crush the spirit of good officers, the less they can fight crime that risks London becoming less safe."