A number of news outlets have reported on the news that Cressida Dick, the officer in charge of the ill- fated operation which resulted in the death of Jean Charles de Menezes, has been promoted to a key job overseeing royalty protection.
It comes as no surprise that many of these reports contain further attacks on Ms Dick and London’s police by relatives of Mr de Menezes.
London is a tolerant and compassionate city and there cannot be many who lack sympathy for the family but it’s now time for such attacks to stop and for all parties to move on.
The death of de Menezes was a tragic mistake but one which must be seen against the backdrop of heightened sensitivity and security.
None of the officers involved started their day with the intention of contributing to the death of an innocent man. Each was, in the midst of widespread public concern and intrusive media coverage, doing their best to protect the people of London from another terrorist atrocity.
Those who attack this promotion would do more for the cause of transparent policing by campaigning against the thousands of deliberate executions carried each year out by the Brazilian police.
stuffandnonsense says
Its wrong that bad intelligence led to the death to mr de Menezes. But hounding the officers who follwed that evidence believeing it to be accurate is no way to prevent such misatakes in the future… and as to pinning him down and shooting him countless times?
Anyone who understands these things will accept that is reasonable… this isnt the movies where one bullet magically kills and disables the bad guys. Pinning down a suicide bomber seems like the best way to stop him from accesing the denotaters.. whose to know where they may hide the contacts?
Its the intelligence service and the government to blame here… not the officers
L Vandenberghe says
This is not Brazil its England and the reason that there is continued debate on the surrounding circumstances regarding Jean Charles is all of the unanswered questions. And Yes, I disagree with someone getting a promotion when she had the ability and authority to stop what had happened to Jean Charles.
Anon says
The article is right though – the system has investigated the issue and concluded no one officer should face charges.
If somone had been killed in Brazil there would have been no enquiry and no campaign, instead the victim’s family would be keeping quiet in case the death squads came for them in the night.
There’s something distasteful about non-UK citizens waging a campaign against members of our police when the chances are the same sort of campaign wouldn’t be waged back home.
None of that makes what happened ‘right’ but it’s a fair point to make and having pursued this matter through the system people now have to accept the outcome.
Fred Jones II says
Just seems to me that dealing with the cause (illegal war, torture etc.) would save our brave Police men and women from having to risk shooting innocent people.
If we keep shooting the symptoms we’ll never get better.
Fred Jones II says
They are supposed to be trained pro’s. How many times did they shoot him again while pinned down?.
Nice argument about Brazilian police, obviously Mr De Menezes fault….
Would you back the promotion if it was a relative of yours that murdered for no reason?
Grow up.
Andrew Keats says
Fred asks “How many times did they shoot him again while pinned down?.”
As many times as they needed to to stop what they feared was a terrorist.
Fred Jones II says
Andrew said “As many times as they needed to to stop what they feared was a terrorist.”
Based on what?. No big jacket, didn’t run, bought a paper, walked onto a train.
Perhaps our police are as affected by the current culture of fear as we are.
One man’s terrorist is another mans freedom fighter, and we are occupying another country.
The french were considered heroic when they resisted being occupied.
When did the rules change? (and no 911 didn’t change everything, we should still be civilised or they have won)