The report is the Metropolitan Police Service’s assessment of its actions during last summer’s riots, the key findings and what work the force has undertaken and will continue to take going forward.
This is the Met’s final report, the interim document having been published in October 2011 where several areas in which improvements needed to be made were duly highlighted.
A strapline states: “Having faced unprecedented challenges we [the Metropolitan Police Service] are determined to do all we can to improve.”
Despite many thousands of officers putting themselves in the line of fire and working almost around the clock to try to protect London, the Met wasn’t able to contain the disorder until the fourth day. There’s an admittance that: “The Metropolitan Police Service engagement, intelligence and operational response plans were not sufficient to prevent or respond to the unprecedented scale and speed of the unfolding disorder in the summer.”
The Met has sought to “take as comprehensive a view as possible” in compiling this report to provide an accurate reflection of events and the key lessons to be learned.
While this may the final report of this review, extensive work continues within the force in order to take the recommendations forward.
Individual acts of heroism
Speaking about the report, assistant commissioner Mark Rowley said: “Having faced unprecedented challenges we are determined to do all we can to improve. Within the pages of this report are a number of areas in which the Met can do better. The purpose of the review was to identify these and to act upon them – which we are already doing.”
He continued: “What I hope isn’t lost among the public’s reading of our detailed analysis is the extreme situation and the individual acts of heroism that took place across London. Last summer was without precedent and as a result stretched the Metropolitan Police Service beyond all anticipated capability. However, I accept this will be of little comfort for those who were victim to the violence, looting and arson.”
In conclusion, Rowley commented: “I want to do everything possible to help prevent the Met, and more importantly Londoners, from being placed in that position again. These recommendations, and the host of changes we have already made [such as Haringey Borough having an additional 50 officers and improvements to the Met’s mobilisation procedures] will help us to do this.”
