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David Cameron 'orders review into police's use of guns' David Cameron orders review into police's use of guns
(about 2 hours later)
The prime minister has ordered a review into the police's use of guns following last month's Paris attacks, the BBC understands. The prime minister has ordered a review into the use of guns by police, following last month's Paris attacks, the BBC understands.
The review will examine whether the law gives enough support to officers making a "split-second" decision to shoot.The review will examine whether the law gives enough support to officers making a "split-second" decision to shoot.
It follows concerns from senior police that firearms officers do not have the necessary legal or political backing to work with confidence.It follows concerns from senior police that firearms officers do not have the necessary legal or political backing to work with confidence.
Labour warned of damaging police-community relations. Labour has warned of possible damage to community relations with the police.
Its leader Jeremy Corbyn told the Sunday Times that weakening oversight would damage public confidence in the police. Gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people in Paris when they attacked a concert hall, a major stadium, restaurants and bars almost simultaneously on 13 November.
'Split-second circumstances' BBC political correspondent Chris Mason says the atrocity has provoked deep soul-searching within government and among the police, raising the question of how the UK would cope if something similar were to happen here.
The issue is believed to have been raised at recent briefings by the Met Commissioner, Bernard Hogan-Howe, with Mr Cameron and other ministers, and at a National Security Council meeting last week discussing counter-terrorism. 'Reasonable force'
The internal review - to be carried out by the Home Office, the Attorney General's Office and the Ministry of Justice - is expected to examine whether current law is sufficient in supporting officers who have a genuinely-held belief that opening fire is necessary in the circumstances. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe is understood to have raised concerns with David Cameron about the legal position of armed officers.
Of the 130,000 officers in England and Wales, around 6,000 are trained to use guns. The issue was also discussed at a National Security Council meeting on counter-terrorism last week.
Currently the Criminal Law Act 1967 allows for the use of "reasonable force" and the Criminal Justice Act 2008 recognises the defence that an officer had an "honest and instinctive" belief that opening fire was reasonable. There have been warnings that fears of lengthy investigations and even prosecutions following a shooting could deter police officers from taking up firearms roles.
Analysis Currently, the Criminal Law Act 1967 allows police to use "reasonable force", while the Criminal Justice Act 2008 recognises the defence that an officer had an "honest and instinctive" belief that opening fire was reasonable.
BBC political correspondent Chris Mason The internal review - to be carried out by the Home Office, the Attorney General's office and the Ministry of Justice - is expected to examine whether those laws go far enough to protect armed officers and prevent them hesitating in the event of an attack.
The attacks in Paris just over a month ago have provoked deep soul searching both within government here and amongst police forces. Of the 130,000 officers in England and Wales, around 6,000 are trained to use guns, but the government has announced plans to significantly increase that number.
How would they cope if something similar were to happen here?
I'm told that at recent briefings to the prime minister given by the country's most senior policeman, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan Howe, serious concerns were raised that officers trained to carry guns did not have the clear legal and political backing they needed to work with confidence.
So, David Cameron wants to check whether the existing law goes far enough - in allowing an officer to use what is described as "reasonable force," and recognises the defence that an officer had an "honest and instinctive" belief that opening fire was appropriate.
A government source said: "Terrorist incidents both at home and abroad have shown very clearly the life and death decisions police officers have to make in split-second circumstances.A government source said: "Terrorist incidents both at home and abroad have shown very clearly the life and death decisions police officers have to make in split-second circumstances.
"We must make sure that when police take the ultimate decision to protect the safety of the public they do so with the full support of the law and the state - there can be no room for hesitation when lives are at risk.""We must make sure that when police take the ultimate decision to protect the safety of the public they do so with the full support of the law and the state - there can be no room for hesitation when lives are at risk."
But Mr Corbyn told the Sunday Times that shooting on the street could "diminish" public confidence in the police. 'Held to account'
He said: "There has to be a very robust and strong independent inquiry into what the police do. Like any other public organisation, they must be held to account. I hope this is not a political stunt." But Jeremy Corbyn told the Sunday Times that any moves to weaken oversight of firearms use would "diminish" public confidence in the police.
The review will also consider the investigatory processes in cases where there have been police shootings, including the inquest and inquiry process. "There has to be a very robust and strong independent inquiry into what the police do. Like any other public organisation, they must be held to account. I hope this is not a political stunt."
It forms part of the government's plan to significantly increase the number of police firearms officers in the wake of the Paris attacks. Following Paris, the Labour leader told the BBC he was "not happy" with police operating a shoot-to-kill policy, but later backtracked, insisting he supported any "strictly necessary force".