According to a media report, more than a hundred London police officers have returned their service weapon licenses following a murder charge against one of their colleagues. Police have decided to “withdraw from armed operations whilst they reconsider their position”, a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said on Sunday.
The police support the officers and “completely understand their genuine concerns”, the spokesperson added. According to the PA news agency, firearms experts from neighboring regions came to the British capital to provide support.
Deadly shootings in September
The protest followed last week’s indictment of a police officer for the fatal shooting of a 24-year-old black man in September 2022. The young man died after the vehicle he was driving in the London neighborhood of Streatham was shot at. The officer who fired the shot has been suspended from duty pending the investigation.
34,000 routinely disarmed
It is extremely rare for a police officer to be charged with murder in the UK. According to the NGO Inquest, a total of 1,870 people have died during or after police custody or after contact with police since 1990. In a single case, a police officer was convicted of manslaughter in 2021.
London’s approximately 34,000 police officers are not routinely armed and only a few well-trained officers are authorized to carry weapons. They are also used to protect installations such as parliament, diplomatic missions and airports, among other things.