Armed Police Constables

Dear T Morgan

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2011080004148
I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 26/08/2011. I note you seek
access to the following information:

"Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

I am requesting information on the classifications of crime that would
justify the lawful deployment of armed police to arrest a suspect.
Also, under which legislation/authorisation are armed police deployed. "

Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (the Act). You will receive a response within the
statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Act, subject to
the information not being exempt or containing a reference to a third
party. In some circumstances the MPS may be unable to achieve this
deadline. If this is likely you will be informed and given a revised
time-scale at the earliest opportunity.

Some requests may also require either full or partial transference to
another public authority in order to answer your query in the fullest
possible way. Again, you will be informed if this is the case.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet, which details your right of
complaint.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write
or contact P Deja on telephone number 02071613640 quoting the reference
number above.

Yours sincerely

P Deja
Policy and Support Officer
COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome and encouraged to
discuss the decision with the case officer that dealt with your request.

Ask to have the decision looked at again ***

The quickest and easiest way to have the decision looked at again is to
telephone the case officer that is nominated at the end of your decision
letter.

That person will be able to discuss the decision, explain any issues and
assist with any problems.

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Public Access Office
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF
[email address]

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.
The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.
Alternatively, phone or write to:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 01625 545 700

The Metropolitan Police Service is here for London - on the streets and in
your community, working with you to make our city safer.

Consider our environment - please do not print this email unless
absolutely necessary.

NOTICE - This email and any attachments may be confidential, subject to
copyright and/or legal privilege and are intended solely for the use of
the intended recipient. If you have received this email in error, please
notify the sender and delete it from your system. To avoid incurring
legal liabilities, you must not distribute or copy the information in this
email without the permission of the sender. MPS communication systems are
monitored to the extent permitted by law. Consequently, any email and/or
attachments may be read by monitoring staff. Only specified personnel are
authorised to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of the MPS by
email. The MPS accepts no responsibility for unauthorised agreements
reached with other employees or agents. The security of this email and
any attachments cannot be guaranteed. Email messages are routinely scanned
but malicious software infection and corruption of content can still occur
during transmission over the Internet. Any views or opinions expressed in
this communication are solely those of the author and do not necessarily
represent those of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

Dear Mr Morgan

I have sent your email to the Information Manager dealing with your
request - and asked him to give you a update on this.

Ref 2011080004148

Regards

Peter Deja
Public Access Office

show quoted sections

Dear Mr or Ms T Morgan

Freedom of Information Request Reference No:  2011080004148

I write in connection with your request for information dated 26/08/2011
which was received by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 26/08/2011.
 I note you seek access to the following information:

"        Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

     
     I am requesting information on the classifications of crime that

  would justify the lawful deployment of armed police to arrest a suspect.
 Also, under which legislation/authorisation are armed police deployed.

EXTENT OF SEARCHES TO LOCATE INFORMATION

To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted
at CO19 Firearms Headquarters, Leman Street.

RESULT OF SEARCHES

The searches located one record relevant to your request.

DECISION

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Question1.  Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

  I am requesting information on the classifications of crime that

  would justify the lawful deployment of armed police to arrest a

 suspect.

Q1. Answer. There is no classification of crime per se that would justify
the lawful deployment of armed officers.  The deployment of armed officers
Armed Officers must fulfil the criteria for deployment as per 4.20 in the
ACPO MoG on the Management, Command & Deployment of Armed Officer which
states

The deployment of AFOs should only be authorised in the following
circumstances:

Where the authorising officer has reason to suppose that officers may have
to protect themselves or others from a person who:

Is in possession of, or has immediate access to, a firearm or other
potentially lethal weapon, or Is otherwise so dangerous that the
deployment of armed officers is considered to be appropriate.

As an operational contingency in a specific operation based on threat and
risk assessment.

For the destruction of animals that are dangerous or suffering
unnecessarily.

Question 2. Also, under which legislation/authorisation are armed police

 deployed.
       

Q2. Answer.

 This is covered at length in the legal framework of the same manual and
again must fulfil the criteria above.  

Armed police can be deployed as part of an authorised operation - this is
an operation authorised by a Superintendent or above or in a spontaneous
operation as authorised by an Inspector or above.

The legislation the officers follow relates to their use of force which is
governed by the following legislation. ( In no particular order).

        1        Sec 3 Criminal Law Act 1967
        2        Sec 117 Pace 1984
        3        Common Law
        4        Police regulations relevant to police use of firearms and
force
        5        Human Rights Act Article 2,3,8 and 14  

Please find attached The ACPO Manual of Guidance on the Management,
Command and deployment of Armed Officers, pursuant to your request above.

http://www.westmercia.police.uk/assets/_...

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet which details your right of
complaint.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write
or contact Chief Inspector Neil Evans on telephone number 02072754877
quoting the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

Paul Mayger
Information Manager
In complying with their statutory duty under sections 1 and 11 of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 to release the enclosed information, the
Metropolitan Police Service will not breach the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988. However, the rights of the copyright owner of the
enclosed information will continue to be protected by law.  Applications
for the copyright owner's written permission to reproduce any part of the
attached information should be addressed to MPS Directorate of Legal
Services, 1st Floor (Victoria Block), New Scotland Yard, Victoria, London,
SW1H 0BG.
COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome and encouraged to
discuss the decision with the case officer that dealt with your request.  

Ask to have the decision looked at again –

The quickest and easiest way to have the decision looked at again is to
telephone the case officer that is nominated at the end of your decision
letter.

That person will be able to discuss the decision, explain any issues and
assist with any problems.

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Public Access Office
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF
[email address]

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.
The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.
 Alternatively, phone or write to:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone:  01625 545 700

 

The Metropolitan Police Service is here for London - on the streets and in
your community, working with you to make our city safer.

Consider our environment - please do not print this email unless
absolutely necessary.

NOTICE - This email and any attachments may be confidential, subject to
copyright and/or legal privilege and are intended solely for the use of
the intended recipient. If you have received this email in error, please
notify the sender and delete it from your system.  To avoid incurring
legal liabilities, you must not distribute or copy the information in this
email without the permission of the sender. MPS communication systems are
monitored to the extent permitted by law.  Consequently, any email and/or
attachments may be read by monitoring staff. Only specified personnel are
authorised to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of the MPS by
email. The MPS accepts no responsibility for unauthorised agreements
reached with other employees or agents.  The security of this email and
any attachments cannot be guaranteed. Email messages are routinely scanned
but malicious software infection and corruption of content can still occur
during transmission over the Internet. Any views or opinions expressed in
this communication are solely those of the author and do not necessarily
represent those of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).