Police Officers Who Shoot Suspects to Be Anonymous During Trials

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced plans to introduce a legal presumption of anonymity for firearms officers facing criminal proceedings following police shootings, up until conviction. The reform comes in the wake of the acquittal of Sergeant Martyn Blake, a Scotland Yard officer cleared of murdering 24-year-old Chris Kaba, who was shot during a police stop two years ago.

Kaba, who was later revealed to be a "core member" of a dangerous London gang, was unarmed at the time of the shooting. Following his acquittal, Sgt Blake was forced to leave his home after a £10,000 bounty was reportedly placed on his head by criminal associates of Kaba. Sources described Blake's life as a "nightmare," lived in fear for himself and his family.

Ms. Cooper stated that the new measures aim to balance accountability with protection for officers making critical decisions under pressure. She said the reforms would also expedite investigations into the use of force and offer victims new statutory rights to challenge decisions by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) not to refer cases to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

"Our tradition of policing by consent relies on trust between officers and the public," Cooper said. "We are introducing this package to strengthen both public trust in policing and officers' confidence in performing their duties. Officers in high-risk roles must know they are supported by a fair and effective system of accountability."

The reforms follow previous announcements that police chiefs will be granted new authority to dismiss officers who fail background checks. In Blake's case, a judge allowed media to name him following legal challenges, citing the principle of transparency in the justice system. However, publication of his address, photos, or physical description was prohibited due to threats to his safety.

The National Police Chiefs' Council had lobbied for broader anonymity protections to include all use-of-force incidents and for police drivers involved in crashes. However, Cooper limited the changes to firearms officers in shooting incidents, amid concerns from campaigners that expanding the protections could shield officers from accountability.

Additionally, the Home Secretary has raised the threshold for IOPC referrals of police conduct cases to the CPS, aiming to ensure that only cases with strong grounds proceed to prosecution.

The Johnson Partnership, Derby