Police fury as Abbott says: Stop knocking moped thugs off bikes
POLICE are at war with Diane Abbott after she criticised the tactic of knocking moped thugs off their bikes.
Scotland Yard won praise last week after it released dramatic footage of specially trained officers using their cars to nudge scooters ridden by fleeing criminals.
Senior officers acted after a spate of ‘pavement pirates’ on bikes threatening shoppers with machetes, ram-raiding stores for jewellery and designer goods worth millions, and hurling acid. Detectives said their new approach had helped cut crimes linked to two-wheeled vehicles in London by a third since January, falling from 19,000 to 12,500 compared with the same period last year.
But Miss Abbott, the Shadow Home Secretary, condemned the technique, known as ‘tactical contact’. It involves tipping criminals on to the ground, is legal and deployed only when moped thugs become a danger to the public.
The MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, who would be in charge of policing if Labour wins the next election, wrote on social media: ‘Knocking people off bikes is potentially very dangerous. It shouldn’t be legal for anyone. Police are not above the law.’
Her comments provoked a furious response. John Apter, chairman of the Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, described her intervention as ‘very unhelpful’.
He said: ‘Great to have such support from the Shadow Home Secretary. My colleagues are doing the best they can to prevent robberies, violent attacks and muggings. All their decisions will be based on a wide range of information but they need the law to support them.’
Home Secretary Sajid Javid said: ‘Risk-assessed tactical contact is exactly what we need. Criminals are not above the law.’
Camden Police tweeted: ‘Someone who’s responsible for law-making (or at least debating and ratifying new legislation) should probably realise that using tactical contact to terminate dangerous pursuits is entirely within our lawful power... and our responsibility.’
Tactical contact has been used 63 times since October last year as part of a range of measures to tackle violent moped criminals.
Police have demanded greater protection if they use tactics such as ‘hard stops’, where drivers halt a suspect vehicle.
In May, the Home Office vowed to give more confidence to police chasing moped criminals who throw off their helmets.
Ministers want to smash the ‘ myth’ that officers cannot chase helmetless riders in case there is an accident and the thugs are killed k or suffer major injuries.
Police minister Nick Hurd has acted a amid concerns that officers were finding themselves in the dock over high- speed chases as they can be prosecuted for dangerous or careless driving like any other motorist.
Under government proposals published today, the rules will be tweaked to recognise police drivers’ high level of training.
Labour said: ‘Major operational changes by the police that affect public and police officer safety need to have clear oversight and follow due process, especially where there is a potential impact for legal ramifications.’