"The revelation comes after a recent report found that knife crime has soared by 86 per cent in London in a decade, with the number of offences surging by 58 per cent in just the three years between 2021 and 2024. Currently, handguns are restricted to specially-trained officers who are part of units such as Counter Terrorism Command. Handguns are restricted to specially-trained officers who are part of units such as Counter Terrorism Command."
"It said it was incumbent on the Met to provide adequate training to assist officers even if it was impossible to train for every possible eventuality. The dangers faced by police officers are genuine and can have catastrophic results, it said. By not training to negate or at least mitigate these dangers the Metropolitan Police Service has failed in its duty to safeguard its own staff."
An internal document recommended arming basic command unit staff with semi-automatic pistols to protect them from violent criminals. Police chiefs rejected the recommendation as contrary to the British tradition of policing by consent. Knife crime in London rose 86% over a decade, with offences up 58% between 2021 and 2024. Handguns remain restricted to specially trained units such as Counter Terrorism Command. A Met review unit was commissioned after two officers were slashed with a kitchen knife in Leicester Square in 2022. The document said weapons should be available for spontaneous threats and urged better training, a batons review, individual first-aid kits, and darker patrol shirts. The Met declined broader arming and will train 10,000 officers with Tasers within two years.
Read at www.standard.co.uk
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