Recommendations made as officers cleared over Saunders shooting

Firearms officers from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) will not face prosecution over the death of Mark Saunders in 2008 but IPCC has issued recommendations in support of changes to firearms licensing.

The barrister was shot dead by the police officers following an armed siege at his home in West London.

Police footage released in evidence showed negotiations between Mr Saunders and the police breaking down. Mr Saunders later stood at his window waving a shotgun around. After being told to drop the weapon, Mr Saunders appeared to aim the gun at the police. Armed officers then shot at Mr Saunders.

An inquest jury had previously ruled that officers had acted lawfully and the Crown Prosecution Service said it would look into the evidence.

Sally Walsh, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “There remains insufficient evidence to charge any officer in relation to the tragic death of Mark Saunders.”

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) today released its report into the death of Mr Saunders.

While the report concludes that the strategy and tactics employed by the MPS were appropriate and within national and force guidelines in place at the time, it also highlights concerns surrounding the firearms licence application process, confusion in the role of bronze firearms commander and tactical advisor as the siege unfolded, and a lack of options for dealing with vulnerable people in firearms situations.

The report made several recommendations surrounding firearms licensing, the roles of Bronze Firearms Commander and Tactical Advisor and actions to be taken by the National Policing Improvement Agency and the Association of Chief Police Officers.

IPCC Commissioner Tom Davies said: “Mr Saunders stated on his application for a firearms license that he did not suffer from any medical condition or disability including alcohol and drug-related conditions, and that he had never attended a GP for treatment of depression or any other kind of mental or nervous disorder.  And yet we now know that Mr Saunders did have a problem with alcohol, about which he spoke to his GP, and that he did suffer from depression.

“The IPCC has previously presented the Home Office, ACPO, Police Federation and National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) with a range of proposals in relation to firearms licensing, including a suggestion that it should be a requirement that forces approach the applicant’s doctor in each case to verify information provided by the applicant.

“I am heartened by a recent agreement between the Association of Chief Police Officers and the British Medical Association that the police alert GPs to every new and renewal licence application, as referenced in the just published HASC inquiry report.“

The report suggested the Bronze Firearms Commander and Tactical Advisors should be separated.

Mr Davies said: “As the MPS has acknowledged there was confusion about the role of the bronze firearms commander in this case. It is our view that this confusion led, at least in part, to poor communication with the silver commander. This meant that certain information – such as the fact that Mr Saunders held notes up to the window – was not passed to him. 

“I have been assured that the force accepts the need to re-enforce the importance of a clear distinction between the role of tactical advisor and the bronze firearms commander. I am pleased that the MPS have pledged to emphasise the issue of firearms command training and on the bespoke bronze commander’s course for firearms supervisors, which I believe is to be introduced in January 2011.”

The IPCC investigation also concluded that the NPIA and ACPO should work with forces to ensure that lessons are learned and to develop a wider range of tactical options for use in similar situations.

Mr Davies added: “Although it is not possible to say one way or another whether Mr Saunders intended to provoke a response from firearms officers, in recent y