Specialist Firearms Mobile Support to Boroughs to Tackle Gun Crime

Report: 4
Date: 9 December 2010
By: Commander - Central Operations on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report provides a summary of the Pro-Active use of Authorised Firearms Officers to tackle gun crime hot-spots, the way that they are tasked, the authorisation required, the briefing process and the community engagement. It also considers the feedback that is provided and the challenges and successes of the tactics that have been identified.

A. Recommendation

That

1. Members are requested to consider and note the contents of this report.

B. Supporting information

1. On average Gun Crime and serious violent offences do occur on a daily basis across London; an appropriate response to these offences has to be considered when preparing the tactical methods used by the MPS for policing the capital. The latest figures published on the 20th of October 2010 show that in the financial year to date (FYTD) there have been 1575 gun crimes against 1875 crimes at the same time last year, a 16% decrease. Gun crime makes up 0.35% of the 444,983 total notifiable offences reported within the MPS in the FYTD. With further analysis it is apparent that in these offences just over half involved the threat of a firearm and in 12% of these incidents the firearm that was intimated was not seen. The percentage of these crimes that have actually involved shootings is 27%. The number of deaths that have been caused by shootings in the financial year to date stands at 14, as opposed to 6 at the same time last year. The figures show that the problem needs to be effectively tackled to prevent escalation and deter people from carrying or using weapons.

Armed response

2. On a daily basis there are up to 16 Armed Response Vehicles deployed on the streets of London, the majority of these are provided by CO19 Specialist Firearms Command but these are supplemented by SO6 Diplomatic Protection Group and SO18 Aviation Security. These officers perform a vital role in supporting their unarmed Borough colleagues at incidents where firearms have been seen or have been intimated or where the level of risk to officers or members of the public is that great that it is deemed that an armed response is necessary. There are strict parameters which guide the Armed Response Officers in terms of the deployment of their weapons and set command structures are in place to deal with spontaneous firearms incidents as they occur. The Armed Response Vehicles are crewed by MPS Authorised Firearms Officers who go through a rigorous selection process prior to a testing initial course which is supplemented by regular refresher training.

3. Armed Response Vehicles are the MPS’s front line tool to respond to incidents where firearms are involved. They patrol designated areas and are ready to be deployed by Central Communications Command (CCC) to firearms incidents across London to work alongside Borough Officers to resolve situations. Essentially they are uniformed patrolling Police Officers who have the knowledge, training and capability to use firearms and other ‘less lethal’ options such as Taser or baton rounds. However, their specialist skill is such that they are not required to take on tasks that may inhibit their response to firearms incidents. When an ARV is assigned to an incident they work under the command of a Tactical Firearms Commander. This officer is either the local Borough Duty Officer or the CCC Chief Inspector.

4. The default patrol areas for MPS ARV units are determined on a weekly basis according to a comprehensive assessment of intelligence and crime statistics. This is comprised of information of reported shootings, information from CO19 handovers, Crimint+, SCD8 and SCD7 operations, Operation Blunt 2, and Daris 320 data. This Weekly ARV Tasking Meeting allocates where Armed Response Vehicles are tasked to default patrol for the following week according to demand and where they will be best placed to respond to firearms incidents These default postings are subject to change should further information come to light.

CO19 Trojan Pro-active Unit (TPU)

5. The Armed Response Patrols mentioned above that CO19 deploy on a daily basis are very much a responsive tool who will attend once a incident firearms incident has been reported and deal with it ensuring the safety of the public and their unarmed colleagues. There is however a need to be pro-active and deter gun use in order to prevent gun enabled crime from being committed. As a result the Trojan Pro-Active Unit within CO19 was formed 17 months ago to provide dedicated specialist support to Boroughs to address gun enabled crime within the city. The unit seeks to disrupt the activities of those involved in gun enabled crime and reassure the public. They provide a menu of tactical options to discuss with the Borough’s prior to deployment. The unit is able to provide support to both overt and covert Police units and whilst remaining in uniform they have access to both marked and unmarked vehicles, including vehicles with Automatic Number Plate Recognition capability

6. The unit is made up of 24 officers, comprising one Inspector, three Sergeants and 20 Constables who are split into two teams. They are not counted as part of the ARVs deployed as a responsive tool. The TPU officers are ARV officers who are seconded from normal duty from within CO19 to provide additional directed patrols and set piece operations with designated objectives. These officers are used to working on Boroughs on a daily basis, communicating with the public and dealing with firearms incidents and suspected firearms incidents. The secondment opportunity allows the officers to work in a more pro-active manner by giving them the development opportunity to become involved in a wider range of operations.

7. The Trojan Proactive Unit uses tactics which support unarmed Policing functions. The tactic that they use the majority of the times they are deployed is high visibility mobile patrol in fully marked Armed Response Vehicles. They are deployed to areas where there are gun and violence problems to provide a visible deterrent and react to intelligence and incidents. This tactic does not require any further authorisations and is part of day to day duty for ARV’s albeit that they are more tightly focussed on one particular problem area without the increased likelihood that a CO19 ARV has of being deployed elsewhere.

8. It is a key point to note that neither ARV officers or CO19 TPU officers carry out routine armed foot patrols on Boroughs or in particular gun crime hot spots. It is not a tactic that is used as part of the menu of tactical options.

9. The Trojan Proactive Unit frequently operates as part of a planned operation, which is an event beyond routine mobile patrol. In these cases they are deployed under the strategic and tactical command of nationally trained and accredited firearms commanders in the CO5 Firearms Command Unit. The strict authorisation process ensures that this valuable resource is deployed to areas most in need of assistance. The deployment is driven by the intelligence and threat assessment. As part of the planning process the relevant Borough Policing Command Team are involved to ensure that the operation is cognisant of any particular local need. Community members, such as IAG members are invited to observe the deployments and briefings in order to promote confidence and mutual understanding. The TPU tactical menu contains the following set piece operations:

10. Tactic 1 - Is an operation which is designed to target individuals who are thought to be too dangerous to be stopped without armed support. It is conducted with the use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and plain-clothes spotters from the local Borough / TSG and SCD. Once sighted by spotters or when their vehicles are identified on ANPR subjects will be stopped by ARVs and searched by a uniformed search/arrest team.

11. Tactic 2 - This is a similar tactic to Tactic 1 but would have a reduced amount of resources involved. The ANPR vehicle would be parked in a suitably assessed location. The database which registration numbers are compared against would include all relevant crime markers including guns / gangs / burglary / drugs supply. If activation was not firearms related then the TSG would follow and stop the vehicle. However if a firearms marker is activated, the Tactical Firearms Commander in conjunction with the Tactical Advisor will decide whether and how the vehicle should be stopped. The emphasis will be on stopping the subject vehicle as soon as practicable. When the decision on whether and how the vehicle is to be stopped the lead ARV will choose the most suitable location to minimise the risk to the public. If the TSG or traffic (ANPR) vehicles are available they may assist with a sterile area but this is not a pre requisite. The FRD will be utilised throughout the operation where deemed appropriate.

12. Tactic 3 - This operation is exactly as per Tactic 1 but does not employ ANPR; it relies on spotters to identify suspected armed or dangerous subjects. Those individuals or vehicles are then stopped by marked ARVs.

MPS tasking of the TPU

13. The Trojan Proactive Unit is tasked through the daily tasking meeting, Operation Verano which has the focus of tackling gang violence and Most Serious Violence throughout the MPS. The meeting is held every morning and is chaired by the TP Superintendent who has the portfolio for Public Place Violence. The Verano meeting has control of a range of deployable resources including not only the TPU but also the Operation Blunt 2 serials and 2 serials of the Commissioner’s TSG reserve. Prior to the Operation Verano tasking meeting the MIB conduct a Serious Violence Daily Review considering intelligence from both the last 24 hours and the last 7 days. This review considers incidents, intelligence (such as gang tension), ARV feedback from the previous day, and the report from the Operation Blunt 2 Silver Commander from the previous day. The MIB review prioritises Boroughs in terms of risk considering all available factors. They also review the number of firearms incidents in the previous 4 weeks, considering all firearms discharges, shotgun discharges and murders. At the Verano meeting these resources are tasked to a specific Borough or issue by the Superintendent. In the case of TPU they are tasked two days in advance as the Verano meeting occurs after the first shift of TPU have commenced duty. The chair reserves the right to alter this tasking at the next days Verano meeting.

14. The Verano meeting deploys the resources to Boroughs but does not set the tactic that will be used as local senior officers take responsibility for the development of a plan appropriate to their particular needs. Where appropriate an application is made to CO5 to determine whether a specific operation, involving firearms officers, should take place. It should be noted that Borough Senior Management Teams are aware of issues within their own Policing area which are mentioned in the MIB review and can plan in advance for the asset to be allocated to them or request through the Verano process that the TPU are deployed to them.

Authorisation of pre-planned firearms operations

15. In response to a range of internal and national recommendations in November 2009 the MPS launched CO5 Firearms Command Unit. This OCU is responsible for the strategic and tactical command of armed operations across London. CO5 is staffed by Strategic Firearms Commanders (Superintendents) and Tactical Firearms Commanders (Inspectors) - they work a 24/7 shift basis providing comprehensive command coverage for any firearms incident across London.

16. Armed Response Officers are considered to be ‘deployed’ when they are required to conduct a specific task during which the possession of a firearm, with appropriate authorisation, is a required element. Firearms incidents and operations are broken down into two categories, spontaneous and authorised. Spontaneous incidents are those incidents that take place without warning, the circumstances of which demand that armed support to the initial police response must be considered. These are generally the incidents that ARVs attend and deal with and there is a strict authorisation process which guides the actions that are taken. Specific authorisation is not required for ARV officers when they are on routine mobile patrol as part of their day to day duties (Further than the standing authority of the AC CO to carry the weapons). With the exception of Mobile Patrol the operations discussed above, which are used by the TPU are classed as authorised which means that prior to deployment the approval of a Strategic Firearms Commander is required. The Strategic Firearms Commander must consider whether officers may have to protect the public or themselves from a person who:

1. Is in possession of, or has immediate access to, a firearm or other potentially lethal weapon.
2. Otherwise so dangerous that the deployment of armed officers is considered to be appropriate.
3. The deployment of AFOs is an operational contingency for a specific operation based on threat and risk assessment.
4. Or for the humane destruction of an animal which is suffering unnecessarily.

17. Applications for any authorised firearms operation including those carried out as a result of Verano meetings are made on Form FA1. This application is made with the knowledge and support of the Borough SMT and in urgent circumstances, the minimum expected information is the information and intelligence which make the use of firearms necessary. The application is submitted to CO5 Firearms Command Unit for assessment as to whether it meets the criteria required for a firearms operation. The Strategic Firearms Commander must be satisfied that there is a need to deploy firearms officers and establish if there are any other methods that could be used to accomplish the aims of the operation other than the use of firearms. In cases where the criteria have been met they will set a Strategy for the operation and in the event that the criteria have not being met they will return it to the applicant for further development. The Tactical Firearms Commander (TFC) develops the operational plan which, in the case of the Trojan Proactive Unit will involve a selection from the menu of available options. They are assisted in this by drawing on tactical advice from CO19. Once authority is given the SFC will have overall strategic command with responsibility and accountability for all directions given. This officer must be of the substantive rank of Superintendent and be in date with their Strategic Firearms Command Training Course. The TFC must be of the substantive rank of Inspector and be deemed competent via the Tactical Firearms Command Training Course. The ultimate responsibility for the management of the operation and the deployment of resources rests with the TFC after consultation with their Tactical Adviser.

18. Before briefing the officers there must be a period of planning, where information and intelligence is gathered, tactical options are discussed and the safest plan is decided upon. The conflict management model is the tool used in this process for considering the appropriate level of response. The firearms team leader who in the case of the TPU is the Inspector will then hold a tactical meeting to ensure that the plan is complete. The firearms team leader will then hold a tactical briefing where firearms officers are given the opportunity to raise question about the tactical plan. The TFC will give the full operational briefing, assisted by the firearms team leader during the method phase. All staff involved in the operation should be present if possible including Borough resources, TSG etc. This briefing should give the full intelligence picture, and details of all attendees should be recorded. Where intelligence changes between the main briefing and the execution of the plan, a further dynamic briefing may be required.

TPU Borough Activity

19. As discussed earlier in the document these deployments have been made as a result of the Verano tasking process where gun and violence issues from the past 24 hours and 7 days are used to dictate the deployment of both armed and unarmed resources. The rationale for all deployments is the MIB Daily Violence Review which carries the details of the issues which mean a Borough is at risk.

20. The Boroughs who have had the TPU deployed to them through the Verano process and who have run one of the tactical operations are: Hackney, Croydon, Haringey, Waltham Forest, Newham, Southwark and Enfield. These operations have used Tactic 2 and Tactic 3 as discussed above. This year Tactic 1 has not been used, Tactic 2 has been used nine times and tactic 3 has been used ten times as a result of Verano taskings.

21. It is important to consider that when they do not conduct one of the recognised tactics the TPU are deployed to Boroughs with gun or violence issues to undertake routine ARV patrols as a deterrent and engage with community members.

Engagement with communities and stakeholders

22. The Police Use of Firearms Standard Operating Procedure states that the SFC should consider the need for a community impact assessment (CIA). The extent and formality of the CIA will depend on the nature of the incident/operation, it can be a dynamic process undertaken simultaneously by AFOs, local officers and all those in command roles. However, whenever time permits, a comprehensive community impact assessment should be completed in order to: Identify community and human rights issues which may be affected and consider action to retain or promote community confidence and reassurance in the police action. These assessments should be regularly reviewed to take account of emerging issues and may involve cross-boundary considerations. The aim of these assessments is to seek to enhance the trust and confidence of the community through consistency, robustness, and the management of the situations. When TPU are deployed to use one of the tactics discussed earlier there is an expectation that the Borough will complete the CIA which will be approved by CO5 and retained on file. The Borough’s are best placed to complete these Community Impact assessments as they are aware of the issues that affect their local Policing Area’s through intelligence and liason with consultative groups (this is discussed on a Borough basis below). No specific equality impact assessments are completed, instead it forms an important element of the CIAs required for each operation. It is the responsibility of each Borough to deal with any organisational learning that is identified through the completion of the Community Impact Assessments and utilise it in their day to day policing of the area and also in future operation planning.

23. CO19 actively engages with the community in the areas that they are deployed to. Their aim is to increase awareness of the firearms and the work that the command does in order to combat offences. They utilise the following methods:

24. Operation Make Peace - This package is designed for 11-19 year olds and has the objectives of increasing awareness of the consequences of carrying weapons, the reasons that people become involved in gangs and armed offences, how the Police deal with those offences, the tactics that are used and what the likely outcomes are for someone in possession of a weapon, whether it is a gun or a knife. The package is predominantly delivered in schools and lasts for an hour utilising real life footage of armed officers dealing with an incident as well as depictions of first aid being administered and a funeral scene. From the 1 November 2010 this presentation will be augmented by the use of a drama workshop delivered in conjunction with the Greenwich and Lewisham Young Persons Theatre where the young people will be asked to come up with their own piece of work. There is no cost to the recipient as the project is funded through the Safer London Foundation and Families United, a charity set up by the families of victims of knife and gun crime. A representative of the charity will also attend and speak to the young people to deliver a very personal message on the effects violence. Operation Make Peace was the recipient of the Diversity in Action Award from the Commissioner last year and also went on to gain national recognition.

25. Armed Policing - “Could You” is aimed at an older target audience than Make Peace, people who play a role in opinion forming, namely MPS advisory groups and community leaders. The centre piece of this presentation is an interactive portable laser judgement range, similar to the one used by ARV officers as part of their training. It seeks to put the participant in the shoes of the Armed Officer during a scenario in order to give them more of an understanding of the challenges that the officer faces, i.e. the decision to shoot or not. They are talked through physiological changes due to stress, police tactics, environmental awareness and justification. This activity is designed to prompt a discussion on armed Policing in order to engender the views of the participants. These events can be booked either by Boroughs and other departments on the behalf of partner agencies or schools or they can be arranged directly with CO19.

26. This year to date nearly 5000 young people have attended Operation Make Peace presentations in schools, colleges and other establishments such as Feltham YOI.. Feedback forms are completed in consultation with the school or establishment where the presentation is made. It is difficult to quantify the effectiveness of the presentation however a piece of work is currently under development by an academic on secondment to the OCU for a year in order to produce a method of analysing the success of the project.

27. The Armed Police - “Could You” presentation has been delivered across the MPS on numerous occasions to consultative groups such as CPCG’s and IAGs, councils, colleges and the NPIA.

28. The Corporate Race IAG have received several presentations from CO19 around the tactics that they use. IAG members have also visited Gravesend to view the training facilities and demonstrations of techniques. The feedback from all of these exercises has been positive. Race IAG members have also been involved in CO19 selection processes as observers. The IAG involvement with CO19 developed into the formation of the CO19 Community Reference Group.

29. Each Borough in the MPS has a different relationship with its communities and slightly differing methods of liasing with partners and community groups. This allows each Borough to tailor the services that they provide to the needs of the community and also liase with their communities in the most effective manner. It is predominantly the responsibility of the individual Boroughs to work with their communities and consultative groups in relation to the use of firearm patrols, however assistance is provided in terms of specialist knowledge by CO19 and on Policy by Territorial Policing. Below are the methods that have been used by each Borough that have received TPU authorised operations in respect of the tactics:

30. Waltham Forest holds regular Independent Advisory Group meetings (IAGs), Youth IAGs and Stop and Search Forum’s with members of the local community. The use of the firearms patrols as well as the use of other Pan London Assets such as the Blunt Serials and TSG are regularly discussed. This has included details of the tactics that the TPU use. The members of these panels are wholly supportive of the use of these assets on their Borough, the only issue that was raised is that the ARV’s are not always visible enough and the public would like to see more of them. When authorised operations have taken place consultative group members have been invited to attend and observe. Waltham Forest have also utilised the CO19 Operation Make Peace presentation at schools on numerous occasions to convey the role that they play and the anti violence method to children and young people.

31. Southwark has discussed the issue around the pro-active targeting of gun crime and violence hot spots with the Trident IAG. There was no negative feedback from the membership and they accepted and were positive about the TPU tactics. Southwark Council, CIRAG and CPCG have all independently received the Armed Police - “Could You” presentation.

32. Newham has consulted their IAG on the tactics that are used by the TPU and other Pan London Assets. The IAG chair or another representative is invited on every Authorised Firearms Operation and to the briefing for that operation. The IAG are very positive about the use of and the tactics of the TPU. The concern that they have raised during the course of the consultation process is the desire to ensure that when any Police Operation is delivered the units concerned, such as the TPU work in a manner that is proportionate, intelligence led and in a manner that is respectful. Newham IAG and the Community Group Newham Alliance have both received the Armed Police - “Could You” presentation. The feedback from this was extremely positive.

33. Enfield has only had the use of the TPU on one occasion to date this year. Recently Enfield IAG and CPCG have been taken to the MPS Firearms Training Facility in Gravesend where they have been given a demonstration of the Armed Response Officers and their tactics. This was very well received by the people present. Enfield has recently initiated large meetings encompassing many different partners where they invite a member of an MPS department to speak to demonstrate the role that their area of business has. They are presently trying to arrange for CO19 to deliver their Armed Police - Could You presentation.

34. Hackney Borough Commander has consulted with the local IAG as a whole and also with individual members of the panel around the deployment of the TPU to the Borough. It has also been discussed at Ward Panel meetings and with the Hackney MPA link member. Once it was established what the tactics of the unit are, especially the fact that they do not patrol on foot or use motorcycles the panel members were reassured. The general feedback in Hackney was broad support for Police activity to tackle gun and gang crime. Hackney have utilised the Operation Make Peace presentation within local schools.

35. Haringey lease on a regular basis with their consultative groups in relation to the Borough response to gun crime. They have two IAGs, one of whom deals predominantly with Gun, gang and knife crime as well as a CPCG. All groups raised initial concerns about armed officers patrolling on foot. Once these concerns were allayed and the tactics were explained, no issues have been raised. Haringey ensure that IAG/CPCG members are invited on authorised firearm operations in order to observe. They have also started to involve consultative group members in day to day policing activities so that they appreciate what is involved. Haringey have utilised both CO19 presentations.

36. The MPS are currently in the process of developing a Community Engagement Action Plan which will guide all activities and ensure that all possible opportunities are taken to maximise the links with the community and partners, in order to develop solutions which fit the problems in each area of business.

Consultative feedback into operational planning and service delivery

37. The outcome from all of the consultative groups and engagement activities has been largely been positive. Once there is an understanding of the tactics that are used by the TPU and ARVs in general it is viewed that they are wholly proportionate.

38. What has been recognised as the sessions have developed is the need to increase the amount of engagement that takes place in order to encourage understanding. The positive feedback that has been received has shown that community engagement has to be considered with each deployment. CO19 are producing a new leaflet which will be distributed either at the time of authorised operations in the community by Safer Neighbourhood Teams or immediately afterwards. These leaflets will allow the community to understand what has gone on in their area and will provide contact points for any questions or feedback.

How the use of this tactic is evaluated, in particular the impact this has on the local communities. Any learning gained from the use of this tactic so far and how this is incorporated into current / future operational considerations

39. As part of the management of each operation the TFC must ensure that their decision log, form 3605 is fully updated and retained. Tactical advice provided to the TFC is recorded on the form 3605A. These documents provide guidance at the debrief with officers involved in the incident. The aim of the debrief is to gather any organisational or operational learning. This will include Community issues which arise during the course of the operation. The debrief is recorded in the 3605A and checked and signed by an officer of the rank of Chief Inspector who is independent of the operation.

40. Once a firearms operation is completed as mentioned above leaflets can be circulated to the local community providing details of unit and the activity. These documents provide a contact point for feedback which can be used as part of the planning for future operations, or assist in the compilation of CIA’s on that particular Borough.

41. The TPU is a small group of experienced officers who work closely with Boroughs to plan and deliver the operations. As mentioned above all Boroughs are in constant consultation with consultative groups in relation to policing methods such as this and tactics. Members of these groups frequently attend the briefings and operations which educates the discussions that they are able to have in the local forums. The Boroughs can then take the feedback and use it both in the planning of subsequent operations and in the Community Impact Assessments that guide the action that is taken.

42. On each occasion that the TPU are deployed to a Borough the Borough SMT are asked to complete an evaluation of the service that the TPU provided. This evaluation covers the professionalism of the officers and the level of service that they provide. Since July 2009 more than 70 forms have been completed with 100% satisfaction.

43. CO5 also uses a similar consultation document that is circulated to all Boroughs who utilise their services. One of the key questions that is asked of the Boroughs is how the operation effectively considered the impact on the community. There has been no negative feedback in relation to consideration of community impact and all feedback has stated that the operations either achieved or exceeded their objectives. There is a process in place for the management of organisational learning within CO5 with a Superintendent as the organisation learning lead. Any learning will be disseminated via the Senior Management Team meetings or Daily Management Meetings.

44. All daily activities of the ARV patrols and TPU are recorded and collated for use at the ARV Weekly Tasking Meeting and the daily Operation Verano meeting.

Training and guidance provided to firearms officers who undertake armed patrols within communities

45. Before any officer is deployed to an armed role within CO19 they must first be successful at the application stage which considers their suitability to work with firearms. It requests details of previous experience with firearms and requires the candidate to evidence their current performance, this performance includes their abilities in terms of Community and Customer Focus and Respect for Race and Diversity. This is then followed by a papersift and board process.

46. The course that all CO19 Armed Response Officers have to attend prior to deployment is designed to meet the needs of firearms officers from Constable to Inspector in terms of providing the MPS with a specialist firearms capability. The course aims to provide the officer with: sufficient training in weapon skills handling the service issue sidearm, carbine, shotgun and relevant less lethal technologies (such as taser), the tactical capability to undertake pre-planned armed police operations including the entry into and search of buildings, mobile armed support to surveillance and dealing with conflict, through the application of a Conflict Management Model, commensurate to their role.

47. The course includes a series of interactive exercises that will provide the candidate with consolidation, formative assessment and feedback. The course concludes with an assessment of competence in line with agreed national minimum standards provided through the National Police Firearms Training Curriculum. This training is supplemented every 6 weeks with a further 3 day training period.
48. As mentioned above, prior to every deployment ARV officers are fully briefed not only on the tactics that they will be using but on local community issues that have been highlighted by the CIA. These documents allow the ARV officers to be aware of any issues or tensions in the community.
49. CO19 regularly work with community groups of all ages and from a broad spectrum, this work is undertaken by several members of the unit particularly the management of the TPU. Undertaking this work allows the officers to receive feedback from the community at first hand which is utilised in the planning and management of operations.

Challenges and successes regarding the proactive use of firearms within hot spot locations

50. Communicating with the communities that are policed is a challenge around deploying officers to Boroughs in a pro-active manner. The community engagement work that the Boroughs and CO19 have done in terms of sharing their tactics, making the Police more accessible and promoting the anti-violence message has increased the understanding of the methods that are used amongst the community members who have been involved. This however is only a tiny percentage of the population of London and communicating with the public on a wider scale is difficult especially around the Police use of guns. The community engagement work of CO19 will continue to develop and expand but it is imperative that positive messages are communicated to the public through the media in order to promote the good work that is done and increase understanding.

51. The TPU have provided an additional firearms asset to the Verano process and to the Pan London resource that can be tasked on a daily basis. They have delivered numerous operations with outstanding feedback from the Boroughs that they have been tasked to. They have also been involved in fast time responses to firearms incidents in the areas that they have been tasked to, for example whilst tasked to Waltham Forest and Newham they were responsible for arresting a number of males following information about a threat to life. Two handguns were recovered and court dates are currently impending. It is difficult to quantify the preventative work that the TPU carry out and the number of incidents that have been prevented due to a high profile presence, particularly when deployed in conjunction with Op Blunt2 and TSG resources.

Future deployments

52.The tactic of tasking armed officers to carry out tasks in areas where gun crime or gang violence is prevalent or rising is a viable operational tool that enables the MPS to utilise a visual deterrent in order to prevent gun use on the streets. The Community Engagement that has been carried out to date has served to increase awareness of the work done by CO19 officers and has produced positive feedback. At the present time it can be confirmed that the deployment of armed officers according to risk and intelligence analysis to conduct routine mobile patrol and authorised proactive operations will continue up to, during and after the Olympics.

C. Other organisational & community implications

Equality and Diversity Impact

1. This report considers the safeguards that are put in place when planning, organising and delivering pro-active firearms operations. Each operation is specific to the Borough that it is on, and the rationale for deploying the resource to that Borough is provided through the Verano Process. The use of the firearms resource is authorised through CO5 who consider the community impact prior to deployment. The process is stringent and transparent and is based purely on the needs of each borough in terms of risk and intelligence. Each Borough is responsible for working closely with its own community and assessing the impact that these operations have. There has been an acknowledgement that these operations are necessary and the safeguards that have been put in place ensure that they are proportionate.

Consideration of MET Forward

2. This paper demonstrates how the use of pro-active firearms patrol sits alongside the Met Specialist strand in order to attempt to deliver a reduction in criminality and an increase in confidence. The report shows how the policies that are put in place to control the Police use of firearms are being strictly adhered to. The report demonstrates that there is a sound rationale for the deployment of the asset and that the structured authorisation process ensures that the quality of service that is delivered is high, taking the needs of the relevant communities into account. The paper shows how the Verano process as a whole supports the Met Streets Strand to deliver focussed Policing in the areas that need it using the necessary tactics and resources to ensure a proportionate response.

Financial Implications

3. There are no financial implications in respect of this report. The resources and tasking process are established and the community engagement is managed effectively on a Borough and OCU basis.

Legal Implications

4. There are no specific legal implications arising from this report which is presented for information only. There are various statutory provisions which make up the legal framework relating to the use of firearms by the police. In addition, the Commissioner, as Chief Officer, is obliged to have regard to the Home Office Code of Practice “Police use of firearms and less lethal weapons“(“the Code”), which amongst other matters sets out expected standards of the police and good practice. The Manual of Guidance on the Management Command and Deployment of Armed Officers (2010) issued by NPIA is also available to assist police forces by putting the Code into an operational context, and in particular deals with the management, command and deployment of armed officers.

Environmental Implications

5. This report does not contain any environmental implications.

Risk Implications

6. The controls that are put in place prevent firearms operations from being authorised without justification. The potential outcomes of these operations need to be balanced against the risk to the public and unarmed Police Officers. There is a growing risk if gun crime is not effectively targeted and controlled. The tactics that are used are a proportionate response to the gun crime issues within the MPS.

D. Background papers

None

E. Contact details

Report author: Inspector Guy Wilson, MPS

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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