More chiefs need to come out in support of officers prosecuted for doing their jobs

That’s the message from Zoë Wakefield, Hampshire Police Federation Chair.

 

Zoë was speaking about a Metropolitan Police case, in which an officer was cleared of dangerous driving after crashing while responding to a terrorist incident.

 

PC Paul Fisher, 46, has been cleared following a trial – almost four years after having been charged.

 

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley called the treatment of the officer by the systems of accountability “appalling” – and Metropolitan Police Federation Chair Ken Marsh said it was “perverse”.

 

Zoë said: “If an officer is complying with all their training and the instructions that they’ve been given at that time, then how on earth can they be prosecuted? Yes, this officer crashed, but mistakes will happen. We will all make mistakes. But then you can be charged with a criminal offence for making a mistake when you’re trying to do your job and get to a terrorist attack.

 

“PC Fisher intended to get there to help his colleagues. I do not understand why the IOPC and the CPS are interested in taking officers to court in these circumstances.

 

“We need more Chiefs speaking out like Sir Mark Rowley. We need more chief constables coming out publicly and saying how appalling it is. We need more chiefs coming out in support of the officers who are just trying to do their job. You think about all this time, money and resources that’s been wasted in taking this officer to court, but the impact on that officer must be horrendous.”