De Menezes officers to return to duty

Mark Oliver and agencies

The two police firearms officers involved in the fatal shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes are to resume “full operational duties”, Scotland Yard said today.
The decision prompted immediate outrage from the family of the innocent Brazilian who police confused with a suspected suicide bomber. The announcement comes six days after the first anniversary of the 27-year-old’s killing at a London underground station.

The Metropolitan police’s deputy commissioner, Paul Stephenson, took the decision to lift the restrictions on the two officers. The move follows the Crown Prosecution Service’s (CPS) announcement last Monday that no individual officers would face charges over the shooting.

The Met has still to decide whether either of the officers should face disciplinary proceedings over the shooting on July 22 last year.
Asad Rehman, a spokesman from the Justice4Jean campaign, said the de Menezes family were “shocked” that the firearms officers involved had returned to active duty so soon. He told the Press Association the family was “very, very upset” and “in pieces” and described the decision as premature.

“Every day it seems that the Metropolitan police just rubs more salt in the wounds,” Mr Rehman said. “They could not have been more hurtful.”

Last week’s CPS announcement that there would be no charges was described as shameful by the electrician’s family, who vowed to continue campaigning for officers to face charges. They may also sue the force.

In a statement today Scotland Yard said: “Following the decision by the Crown Prosecution Service that no individual officers should face any criminal proceedings regarding the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, and due consideration of all available information, the Metropolitan police has lifted the current restrictions placed upon the two firearms officers.

“Both officers will now resume full operational duties. This case has been considered in line with every case of this nature and decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.”

Both officers involved are members of the Met’s specialist CO19 firearms unit.

Mr de Menezes was shot seven times in the head by anti-terror officers at Stockwell tube station in south London. The shooting came one day after four attackers failed in efforts to set off explosions on a bus and subway trains, and 15 days after four suicide bombers killed 52 bus and underground passengers in London.

While no individuals will face criminal charges, the CPS is prosecuting the Met as an organisation for violating health and safety laws in “failing to provide for the health, safety and welfare” of Mr de Menezes.