The Metropolitan Police Federation (MPF) has released a short yet strongly worded statement following the news that the Authorised Firearms Officer (AFO) involved in the fatal Chris Kaba shooting has been suspended.
With talk amongst rank-and-file AFO officers about handing in their firearms permit following the news that their colleague has been suspended, many police officers both inside and outside of the Metropolitan Police feel that the AFO officer who was involved in the shooting has been unfairly treated by senior officers.
There is also a widespread feeling among police officers that senior officers are bowing to the pressure that is being put on them by some sections of the mainstream media despite no factual circumstances regarding what led to the moments immediately before the shooting being released by investigators.
There has been widespread speculation that Mr Kaba had tried to ram officers, but this has not been confirmed or denied by the Met or the IOPC.
24-year-old Chris Kaba – a well-known drill rap artist – died after a police pursuit ended in Streatham Hill on Monday, 5th September.
Initial reports suggest that the Audi that Kaba was driving had been linked to a firearms incident that had occurred in the previous days.
When the Audi passed through a set of Automatic Number Plate Readers (ANPR), officers in the area were alerted to the vehicle’s presence.
Several Armed Response Vehicles (ARVs) made their way to the scene and quickly located the Audi. But when officers indicated for the Audi to stop, it failed to do so.
A pursuit ensued, ending when the fleeing Audi was boxed in.
No details have been released regarding the nature of the firearms incident that happened in the days leading up to the incident or the intelligence linked to the Audi that Kaba was driving.
It is understood that Mr Kaba had been released from prison a short time ago after serving a custodial sentence for firearms offences.
The officer involved in the shooting was suspended from duty only hours after Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP and Harriet Harman MP issued a statement calling for the immediate suspension of the officer.
Whilst it is usual for an AFO who has been involved in a shooting to be removed from active frontline duty – as was the case with the officer involved in this shooting – it is unusual for a firearms officer to be suspended from duty at such an early stage of an investigation.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Federation said:
‘Being a firearms officer in London is one of the world’s toughest jobs.
‘Officers – volunteers – know the responsibility/accountability that comes with it and deserve our support.
‘Ill-informed commentary from those in positions of power following any tragic incident is unwarranted
‘The Metropolitan Police Federation is supporting a brave firearms colleague involved in a recent incident in South London – and we are also supporting their family.
‘Our thoughts are with all affected.
‘The Federation will be making no further comment at this time.’
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Idiots jumping on the “Hate Police” bandwagon. Lets all wait for the truth to come out before jumping to conclusions
It was totally wrong to klgice in to pressure from people who have no idea what happened, or what normally happens.
Just because the media and other groups are giving out vibes, they have no right giving out.
The met should’ve had the guts to stand up to the billy MPs, and report them for interfering in a potentially criminal case.
I would guess the met had no reason with information available to give discipline to the the officer involved, so why should anyone else.
The iopc is the worst offender when it comes to public office hating on the police, yet its job remains to make sure the police followed set procedure, and if that’s so, then NO charges should ever come from an officer correctly doing its job.
Yet the iopc insists on ruining officers jobs and lives.
Whoever is in charge there should be removed, as it’s fking obvious they’re a cop hater. The bias beaming out of that place is disgusting
As a member of the public, Incan see that, and I’m sure so can the officers in day to policing . The cops are frightened to do their job to the best of their ability, just in case some scroat complains, and their lives are ruined, just because a thriving lying scroat told lies in a blatant attempt to get away with their actions.
Just out of curiosity, who exactly is going to be protecting those MP’s when all Officers decide they have had enough being sacrifices to some group of loud activists that are only interested in permitting criminals to run our cities?? To ANY AFO’s reading this, why are you putting yourselves and your families through this abuse for people who have no respect for you or the citizens you serve…? If being an armed Officer is voluntary, then there can be no downside to giving it up… and ZERO benefit in keeping it…
The Wikipedia link above raises some interesting points. The rap group, of which Kaba was a part, had considerable history, it being alleged that it ran 5 different county lines drug rings. Kaba himself had just been released from jail for firearm offences. 16 affiliates of the group were jailed for a total of 61.5 years for drugs offences. A nice big number until one works out that the sentence was an average of just 3 years 10 months each, of which perhaps half will be served.
Another member of the group, LC or Shribz, had been served with a 2 year ASBO that prevented him from performing what is laughingly called music.
This is a deeply nasty, extremely violent gang with proven drug links and firearms offences. Had Kaba simply given up when boxed in, that would have been the end of it. Instead, he tried to ram his way out of the box.
Bear in mind that drug dealers ruin lives and drive crime. Arguably, they are mass murderers. So there is one less now. Good.
Of course, Labour is, as usual, playing the race card and Kaba’s mum is hopping on the bandwagon claiming that he was shot because he was black. No, he was shot because he had a conviction for firearms and was not behaving. This of course will get lost in the BLM noise but is actually another sign, were more needed, that lawlessness is not only spreading but being encouraged by the left. Never mind. The crime will reach the nice middle class lefties in Islington or Highgate and when their kids die at the hands of really nasty, career criminals, they will yet the place down.