Firearms officers ‘called out to deal with domestic assaults’

THE lack of neighbourhood officers has meant that armed police are being called out to deal with pub fights and domestic assaults, the Police Federation has revealed.

Officers carrying a Glock 9mm pistol and Taser are being drafted in to catch shoplifters because they are the only unit available.

The fact they are being tied up on such routine calls could hamper their ability to respond to a Paris-style gun attack, it has been warned.

Che Donald (pictured), of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “We have cut so many officers that it’s impacted on the front line and we’re now having to rely on our armed colleagues.

“I have heard of firearms officers dealing with domestic assaults, a pub fight and violent shoplifters because they were the only crew available.

“While this can be viewed as an intelligent allocation of resources, it also means that the capability of deploying an armed unit is reduced.

“In the event we had an active terrorist gunman, the officer would of course be redeployed immediately. But let’s say that officer attended an incident where he’d had to arrest someone. He wouldn’t just be able to release that prisoner and go and attend the terrorist incident because he’s got someone in custody and he has to follow due process,” Mr Donald told the Express newspaper.

He added: “That would be to either meet up with a local unit and hand that prisoner over to them or transport them all the way to custody.”