The Society of Editors has said that it is deeply concerned by plans to introduce a ‘presumption of anonymity’ for firearms officers who later face trial over shootings in the line of duty.
The proposal, announced yesterday by the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, comes amid the acquittal last week of Metropolitan Police Service firearms officer Sergeant Martyn Blake following the fatal shooting of Chris Kaba in September 2022.
Responding to the plans, Dawn Alford, Executive Director of the Society said that such a move would fundamentally go against the principle of open justice and further damage public trust in the police service more generally.
She said: “The introduction of anonymity for firearms officers charged with murder fundamentally goes against the principle of open justice.
“The default position must always be in favour of openness and transparency and restrictions must always be judged on a case-by-case basis. Shrouding such cases in secrecy is only likely to further damage public confidence in policing as a whole.”
In a statement to MPs on Wednesday (October 23), the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said there would be a “presumption of anonymity for firearms officers subject to criminal trial” as part of a package of reforms aimed at improving police accountability.
She said: ““When officers act in the most dangerous situations on behalf of the State, it is vital that those officers and their families are not put in further danger during any subsequent legal proceedings.
“So we will therefore introduce a presumption of anonymity for firearms officers subject to criminal trial following a police shooting in the course of their professional duties, up to the point of conviction.”
Other reforms proposed include speeding up the process for the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) watchdog to send cases to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS); raising the threshold for the IOPC to refer officers to the CPS and a “presumption of dismissal” for officers found guilty of particular criminal offences. Cooper said there would also be an “appeal mechanism” for bereaved families when a decision is made not to seek a charging decision.
Image: Ben Birchall, PA Media
