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The commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has issued a scathing response to the criticism and abuse suffered by officers in the line of duty, describing it as “shameful”.
Sir Mark Rowley told the Police Foundation on Wednesday that the “silence of many in authority” added to the risk of encouraging criminals and diminishing the confidence of frontline officers.
Speaking at the event in central London, he said: “I’ll tell you what’s shameful: the abuse of our officers and the silence of many in authority.
“We should be very clear: when people, be they politicians or the public, throw accusations and slurs at the police, they put them in danger by emboldening thugs. Some people won’t care about that – the criminals – but everyone else should.”
He recounted that an average of 18 police officers are punched, bitten, racially abused or attacked each day, with two each week sustaining serious injuries.
“Some of these officers are lucky to be alive – and most months I have the solemn duty to lay a wreath at memorials for fallen officers. And how does society thank them? With insults,” he said.
“I say to all those throwing insults: be very careful which side of the line you are standing.”
He went on: “We police without fear or favour, and for everyone. It does no-one any favours for this to be deliberately undermined to drive clicks on social media.
“Worse, we have seen it increasing the violence against officers.”
He cited the case of Pc Paul Fisher, which saw watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct heavily criticised for prosecuting the officer for dangerous driving after he crashed on the way to a terror attack in Streatham, south-east London, in February 2020.
Mr Fisher was cleared by a jury nearly four years after he was charged.
He added that the “growing crisis” was the impact these actions were having on officers’ confidence to act, and that an increase in violence towards officers had been seen in recent months.
“Stop and search – an important tactic when used well, which takes knives and weapons off our streets – has declined massively, and the arrest rate in London is also reducing.
“We know that a third of officers say that reduced confidence has led them to voluntarily surrender their public order accreditation, a third say they are giving up their Taser accreditation, and over a quarter their firearms tickets.
“This means fewer officers doing the high-risk jobs we need them to do. That risks London becoming less safe.”
