Officers handing in Tasers and firearms - Sir Mark

Police officers voluntarily surrendering their Tasers and firearms "risks London becoming less safe", the Metropolitan Police commissioner has warned.

Sir Mark Rowley said a third of officers were giving up their Taser accreditation, and more than a quarter were surrendering their firearm tickets.

In a speech on Wednesday night, he said "fewer officers [were] doing the high-risk jobs we need" in London.

This, he said, was due to a "growing crisis in officers’ confidence to act" and an accountability process which had "got out of kilter".

Sir Mark told the event, organised by the Police Foundation, that the online abuse faced by officers was "shameful" and that violence against officers was increasing.

"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," he said.

"Some people won’t care about that – the criminals – but everyone else should.

"I say to all those throwing insults: be very careful which side of the line you are standing."

He said about 18 officers a day were "punched, bitten or racially abused, and two per week were seriously injured".

"In one incident recently an officer was driven at while trying to stop a stolen car, leaving him requiring extensive surgery," Sir Mark added.

He added that the National Federation survey from earlier this year showed 95% of officers said how the police was treated by government had a "negative effect on their morale".

"That is just one indication of how they feel," he said.

"The consequence is a growing crisis in officers’ confidence to act. And that makes us all less safe.

"It is not just about abuse and intimidation. The system we have created to hold officers to account has also got out of kilter.

"The system that holds officers to account needs to pass the common-sense test. It should be timely, fair and respected by both officers and the public. It isn’t."

Sir Mark added the impact of "reduced confidence" in officers was being seen on the capital's streets.

"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," he said.

"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."

"Officers should know that when they follow their training and act in good faith, that from their sergeant to their commissioner they will be supported," Sir Mark said.

"This is the approach in the health service.

"It cannot be right that one part of the public sector, which also makes life and death decisions, should be held to a different standard to others."

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