Home Secretary backs Met’s tough stance on bike thieves
Home Secretary defends Met after concerns over new tactics
The Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, has come out in defence of the Metropolitan Police after a video demonstrating their latest tactics to stop moped criminals attracted criticism online. The video showed the police ending numerous pursuits with ‘tactical contacts’, which involves using cars to knock suspected criminals off bikes. After the video was posted, Shadow Home Secretary, Diane Abbott, tweeted: “Knocking people off bikes is potentially very dangerous. It shouldn’t be legal for anyone. Police are not above the law.” But Javid has now spoken out in defence of the Met’s methods, and said: “Risk-assessed tactical contact is exactly what we need. Criminals are not above the law.” Camden Police also responded directly to Abbott, saying: “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.” When questioned whether the safest option would be to just end the pursuit altogether, they said:
“There are plenty of instances where a terminated pursuit has later ended up with the suspect vehicle crashing, and causing more injury and damage than if it had been terminated as safely as possible in the circumstances at an opportune moment.” While seen as potentially controversial by some, an online poll found that over 98% of MCN readers are in favour of the tactic (see p17). The Met are also keen to point out that the tactic has been a great success and has been key to helping them reduce moped-related offences by 36% this year. The Met also said there are currently ‘no rules on the maximum speed’ at which their pursuit drivers could hit a moped and that it was a common misconception among moped thieves that driving dangerously, at speed or removing a helmet would result in a police pursuit being called off.
A Labour spokesman said: “Major operational changes by the police that affect public and police safety need to have clear oversight and follow due process, especially where there is a potential impact for legal ramifications.”
Letters and poll, p16-17
‘Tactical contact is exactly what we need’ HOME SECRETARY, SAJID JAVID ‘Knocking people off bikes is potentially very dangerous’ SHADOW HOME SECRETARY, DIANE ABBOTT