Use of police firearms is very strictly controlled in the UK, in the majority of cases where time allows a firearms process is initiated where information is gathered by senior ranks usually located miles away in control rooms and strategic/tactical firearms officers who will then discuss and authorise attendance of a team of trained firearms officers to attend the incident to work within strict guidelines, but like the best made plans circumstances change rapidly and the Firearms officers at the scene are allowed to take spontaneous actions to preserve life.

From the information available to date it appears Chris Kaba was driving a car not registered to him, the car was identified by an automatic number plate camera as being involved in a previous firearms incident. Kaba failed to stop the car when required to by Police, and when the car was eventually stopped he failed to listen to repeated directions of the Officers, one shot was fired unfortunately resulting in Kaba’s death.

The Police at the scene would also have access to Kaba’s previous criminal record which shows he had a previous conviction for possession and discharge of a firearm in 2018.

The question most of us are asking was it necessary to suspend the specific firearms officer who carried out the shooting?

Metropolitan Assistant Commissioner Amanda Pearson initially made a statement saying

” The officer is not currently on Operational duties due to the post operational process, a senior officer will now carefully consider their work status going forward

I absolutely understand that this shooting is of grave concern particularly for our black communities”

The top political officers of the Metropolitan Police subsequently made a decision to suspend the officer involved in the shooting fearing repercussions from the black community.

Met Assistant Commissioner Amanda Pearson later said: “Following the death of Chris Kaba, the firearms officer involved has been suspended from duty.

“This decision has been reached following careful consideration of several factors, including the significant impact on public confidence, and in light of the IOPC announcing a homicide investigation.

“Our thoughts and sympathies remain with Mr Kaba’s family and friends. We understand how concerned communities are, particularly black communities, and thank those who are working closely with our local officers.

There were alternative courses of action to take pending the result of the lengthy investigation by the IOPC, the officer could have been taken off frontline firearms duties and assigned temporarily restricted duties without contact with the public. But from the comments made by Assistant Commissioner Pearson, it appears that they needed an immediate scapegoat to placate the Black community and their political allies. The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced he was happy that the officer was suspended.

The suspension of their colleague has caused anger from many officers and the Police Federation, many Firearms officers feel betrayed by their Senior officers, and many have threatened to hand in their firearm tickets after the Queen’s funeral, this will have serious consequences in London where gun and knife crime is rampant with black gangs murdering each other and innocent bystanders using firearms.

In the UK we now regularly see the result of the new generation of a political woke class of top-rank police officers, they persistently demonstrate their blinkered obedience to policies designed solely to gain favour with their masters in the Home office, and which usually favour minorities and chosen communities rather than the general Public. They prefer to pursue goals based on pure personal ambition, prioritised over care for the public and officers under their command.

The suspension of the firearms officer and lack of support by Senior officers will send out a message to the drug and gun gangs in London to carry on with your shooting and stab fest, the British top cops and Politicians dont have the spine to stop you.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/

https://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/news/crime/man-19-charged-with-canning-town-shooting-3155994