The Executive Director of the Society of Editors has described plans by the government to grant anonymity to police firearms officers who shoot suspects as “deeply concerning”.

The comments come after the Home Secretary announced yesterday (Thursday 23 April) that she would pursue legislation that would introduce a presumption of anonymity for firearms officers facing criminal proceedings following police shootings, up until the point of conviction. The government’s planned amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill comes despite the Society having written to the Home Secretary in October 2024 setting out its concerns with the proposals which followed the acquittal last year of Metropolitan Police Service firearms officer Sergeant Martyn Blake following the fatal shooting of Chris Kaba in September 2022. 

Responding to yesterday’s announcement, Dawn Alford, Executive Director of the Society said: “Following plans mooted by the government last Autumn to introduce a presumption of anonymity for firearms officers involved in police shootings, we are deeply concerned by the decision to pursue this legislative change.

“Introducing anonymity for firearms officers during a criminal trial is fundamentally at odds with the principle of open justice and risks not only setting a dangerous precedent but fatally undermining the public’s confidence in the police service amid the perception that officers are above the law and not subject to the same scrutiny afforded to others.

“The courts already have the power to introduce anonymity in exceptional cases so there is no justification for the introduction of such sweeping powers.”

The legal changes, put forward as an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, address specific concerns raised during the accountability review about the risks firearms officers face from criminal gangs, the government said.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “The proud British tradition of policing by consent depends on mutual bonds of trust between the police and the communities they serve. That’s why we have set out an ambitious package of measures to rebuild both public trust in policing and the confidence of police officers in their vital work to keep the public safe.

“Police officers in specialist roles who make split-second decisions to keep the public safe must have the confidence to carry out their duties, knowing that the systems which hold them to account for their decisions are fair.

“Too often those processes have involved unacceptable delays and confusion, which has been damaging both for the police and the public. These changes will help to boost confidence that the system will work swiftly and effectively for all those involved.”

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