Firearms Officers Need More Protection

There needs to be more legal protection for firearms officers, South Yorkshire Police Federation has said, as policing faces a potential recruitment and retention crisis.

Metropolitan Police officers recently handed in their tickets in protest at charges being brought against an officer following the shooting of Chris Kaba. NPCC Armed Policing Lead Chief Constable Simon Chesteron said he has “never known” anything like” this situation.

CC Chesterton said that if firearms officers are no longer confident in the protections afforded to them, forces might have to order officers to be armed rather than it being a choice.

But South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Steve Kent said this would be a “difficult challenge”. He said: “I don’t think, realistically, mandating officers to carry firearms will ever work. Officers have got to be fit to carry a firearm, psychologically as well as physically. You can’t just roll everybody into giving them a gun because they may not be fit to carry it, they may not have the confidence to carry it.

“What we need is the legal protection for officers doing their jobs. Officers, particularly I’m sure down in London, probably don’t feel secure in their roles. We do hear and see the concerns up here.

“I will say that our senior officers in South Yorkshire Police are vocally and visibly supportive of our firearms officers, which is welcome. The senior command team has taken the time to go and speak to every firearms cop in the force.

“But there’s no doubt about it, there’s nervousness, because ultimately officers want to go home to their families every night and they don’t want the real risk of a long time in prison for doing their very best.

“So there needs to be legislative change to protect officers who are doing their best, where it’s clear they’re doing their job to the best of their abilities in split-second decisions. Only when we do that are we going to start to see people attracted to the role again.”