ABBOTT HIT BY BACKLASH ON MOPED COPS
Views blasted by chief
A POLICE chief accused Diane Abbott of making “ill-judged, ill-thoughtthrough” comments on officers tackling moped thugs yesterday.
The shadow home secretary said “it shouldn’t be legal for anyone” to knock people off vehicles.
The Metropolitan Police last week revealed how specialist officers are using “tactical contact” to unseat thugs who wreak havoc on London’s busy streets.
The new crackdown has led to a dramatic fall in moped crime, police chiefs say.
John Apter, chair of the Police Federation, branded the comments “unhelpful” and said politicians must give police pursuit drivers legal protection as they chase suspects.
He added: “This is not about endorsing an anything-goes culture.
“It is about recognising their training, recognising the purpose of their journey and trying to keep the public safer.
“These are not kids who steal a moped and that’s it. These are individuals using mopeds, very often to commit serious crimes, to inflict serious injury. There was an outcry from the public, politicians and others that police must do more.
“Despite the public, political and media support, my colleagues are legally vulnerable.
“But for the shadow home secretary to say what she did is extremely unhelpful.
“For her to say the police are not above the law, it shouldn’t be legal for anyone to knock people off their bike, is yet again an ill-judged, ill-thoughtthrough comment.”