May: We back tough police tactics

16 August 2011 Last updated at 06:12 ET

Theresa May has told police chiefs they have political backing to use tough tactics to deal with rioting, as new guidelines are issued to forces.

The home secretary said officers had been criticised for being “too tough” but would always have her backing if they acted “within reason and the law”.

Ministers are considering a “general curfew” power for specific areas.

Police chiefs and ministers had clashed over the handling of the police response to last week’s riots.

In other developments:

• An independent panel will be set up to hear from the victims of the riots and disorder last week, Nick Clegg says
• A 16-year-old boy is due to appear in court charged with the murder of Richard Mannington Bowes, 68. Mr Bowes was attacked during rioting in Ealing, west London, last week and died three days later. The boy also faces charges of violent disorder and committing four separate burglaries
• Senior Scotland Yard officers are to brief MPs from the home affairs select committee on the policing of the riots
• The Metropolitan Police has released CCTV footage of two officers hit by a car at high speed as they chased looters in Waltham Forest, north-east London

In her speech in London the home secretary also made clear that the next Metropolitan Police Commissioner will be a British officer – following speculation that a US crimefighter, such as former New York police chief Bill Bratton could be considered for the role.

She told reporters she had “no time for the pessimism which says we cannot find from amongst our ranks a tough crime fighter, equipped to lead the Met”.

Following last week’s widespread disorder, which began in north London but spread to different parts of the city as well as parts of Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Nottingham, Gloucester and Bristol, Mrs May had said that police initially sent too few officers to deal with the riots.

‘Damned if they do’

On Tuesday she praised the bravery of those on the front line but said that she had been told that some officers had felt “because of criticism of police tactics in the past” police had felt “damned if they do and damned if they don’t”.

She told the audience, which included police chiefs: “As long as act within reason and the law, I will never damn if do.”

She said public support was put at risk if tactics like rubber bullets were used – and police chiefs themselves had not wanted to use baton rounds and water cannon, instead relying on a surge of officers and “robust policing” alongside community support.

But she said “strong, enforceable powers” were needed to help police deal with anti-social behaviour, criminality, gangs and disorder.

The government was looking at giving police new powers on dispersal orders and curfews, which are currently linked to specific individuals over the age of 16.

BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said that such powers did not currently exist although individuals could be banned from staying out late as part of a civil order, or if they were under probation supervision.

And she said she had written to Sir Denis O’Connor, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary, to ask for clearer information to be provided to police forces in England and Wales about the size of deployments, public order tactics, when it is appropriate for other police forces to provide help, the number of officers trained in public order policing, and “an appropriate arrests policy”.

Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Denis O’Connor warned earlier this year that more than two in five forces were unprepared to help police major protests.

Mrs May took issue with critics who say the government’s planned 20% cuts to central police funding would lead to thousands of police officers jobs being axed, saying cuts were needed to deal with a grave financial crisis – but arguing the cuts actually amounted to 6%, when other sources of funding were taken into account.

Police last week defended their handling of the riots, rejecting suggestions from Mrs May and Prime Minister David Cameron that restoration of calm had been due to political intervention.

Meanwhile, the courts and tribunals service said legal advisers in court were advising magistrates to “consider whether their powers of punishment are sufficient in dealing with some cases arising from the recent disorder”.

“All advice is given in open court and the parties are entitled to comment,” a spokesperson said.

But the Judicial Office has denied that judges had been directed to jail everyone guilty of offences during last week’s disorder.

“The senior judiciary has given no directive in relation to sentencing for offences committed during the recent widespread public disorder,” a spokesperson said.

“When passing sentences judges consider many factors, including the punishment of offenders, the reduction of crime by deterrence, and the need to protect the public.”

The Ministry of Justice is to instruct probation officers to recommend community payback sentences for those convicted over the riots but not jailed.

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