Let police go after moped thugs without fear of the law
Mayor’s demand before summit
POlIcE should be allowed to chase violent moped gangs without fear of prosecution, london’s mayor said yesterday.
Sadiq Khan’s intervention came after it emerged that some thieves remove their helmets to discourage officers from following them in case there is an accident – and the police themselves end up in the dock.
He insisted the police must be granted greater freedom to pursue the perpetrators of the ‘reckless’ and ‘frightening’ snatch crimes that can involve the throwing of acid.
In the 12 months to June, Scotland Yard recorded 16,158 such thefts – three times as many as the previous year.
The Home Office is planning a crisis summit to draw up an action plan to tackle the menace.
A spokesman for Mr Khan said: ‘It is important that the law and any guidelines protect and not hinder the police in their vital role of keeping londoners safe, including when it comes to pursuing suspects on mopeds.
‘Moped crime is reckless, frightening and intimidating and will not be tolerated on the streets of london. The mayor views this crime as an extremely serious offence and fully supports the police to crack down on perpetrators.’ The Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, wants to change the law that exposes officers to prosecution for careless or dangerous driving in pursuits.
It is also calling for police chiefs to publicly back those who chase offenders and for investigations by the police watchdog into collisions during chases to be quicker.
Mr Khan’s spokesman said: ‘ It’s important that officers feel confident and able to take appropriate action when pursuing suspects on mopeds.’
Any representations for a change in the law would be listened to and supported if they will ‘better protect and support police officers pursuing moped crime’, the spokesman said.
The Government has been called on to act because attacks by moped thugs have become more violent, and in some cases fatal, with the perpetrators starting to believe they are untouchable.
Police drivers are allowed to break the speed limit and run red lights while in pursuit, but they are not exempt from prosecution if injuries result.
Tory MP chris Philp, who wrote to Mr Khan on the issue, said yesterday: ‘ Police officers should be trusted to use their judgment on the spot without having to refer up.
‘The rules need to change and we potentially need to legislate to effectively raise the bar for the police so they can act with- out fear of prosecution.’ Police minister Nick Hurd admitted that motorcycle-related offences were ‘clearly of concern’.
He said: ‘This Government is determined to understand and get ahead of these emerging threats. People must be allowed to go about their business without fear of harassment or attack from these thugs.
‘But there is no single quick fix, which is why it is vital that we work together – industry, law enforcement, Government and civil groups – to understand the various drivers of this crime and how they can be met head-on.’
Mr Hurd and Sarah Newton, the minister for crime, safeguarding and vulnerability, will lead the Home Office expert forum to find what can be done to stamp out the problem.
They will call in motor and insurance industry leaders, law enforcement partners, and local government agencies, as well as youth charities and motoring groups. This will enable them to ‘confront the emerging threat of motorcycle-related crime’, a spokesman said.
Police officers who have faced charges after pursuing moped criminals have sometimes had to wait years before having their names cleared. In December 2014, Henry Hicks, an 18-yearold carpenter from north london, died when his moped crashed while police chased it.
The Independent Police complaints commission decided four officers should face gross misconduct charges because they had ‘conducted a pursuit without authorisation from a senior officer’.
They face a misconduct hearing in October this year.
campaigners have argued any investigation should be dealt with as quickly as possible and not drag on for years. Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, confirmed the criminals were changing tactics. ‘They have all started taking their helmets off as they’ve cottoned on to the fact we are not going to bother with them,’ he said.
‘colleagues are saying it is not worth my career to pursue and they know they won’t get any backing if they crash.
‘Police leaders should be supporting officers that pursue mopeds, even when they drive recklessly. We need to tackle this. We want to see clear guidelines saying no action will be taken against an officer who pursues someone who is not wearing a crash helmet.
‘If we do not tackle this modern-day highway robbery, this is going to spread beyond a pandemic in london.’
END THIS MOPED MADNESS! From Saturday’s Mail