Met Police Officer who killed Chris Kaba must face gross misconduct hearing
Mr. Kaba, a 24-year-old Black man, was fatally shot by Metropolitan Police officer Martyn Blake in September 2022. At the time of the incident, Mr. Kaba was seated in his vehicle and unarmed. Officer Blake, who did not know Mr. Kaba’s identity at the time, discharged the fatal shot while on duty.
In October last year, Mr. Blake was acquitted of murder and promptly reinstated by the Metropolitan Police. He has since been promoted to the rank of inspector. Despite the force’s strong opposition to further action, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has announced today that Mr. Blake will now face gross misconduct proceedings. Under the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020, misconduct is defined as a “breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour that is so serious as to justify disciplinary action.”
IOPC Director Amanda Rowe stated of the decision: “This is a decision we have taken based on examining all the evidence, views of all parties and by applying the thresholds set out in legislation and guidance which govern our work.” In response, Matt Cane, General Secretary of the Metropolitan Police Federation, described the ruling as “nonsensical.”
Deborah Coles, director of the charity Inquest, commented: “The IOPC’s decision to direct disciplinary action over the killing of Chris Kaba is welcome. But the fact that the Metropolitan police required direction and were not willing to take this step themselves is reprehensible. Instead of addressing the toxic culture exposed in the Casey review and ending police killings, they are putting their energy into lobbying for greater protections for firearms officers. There cannot be one standard for the police and another for the public. That erodes trust and erases justice; it’s impunity.”
Mr. Kaba’s grieving family expressed support for the IOPC’s decision, stating: “We hope this leads to him being removed from the Met Police. What Martyn Blake did was deeply wrong. We are still so devastated to have lost Chris — this should never have happened. The fact that the Met promoted Martyn Blake after the verdict only deepened our pain and showed a complete disregard for our loss.”
Sabby Dhalu, co-convener of Stand Up to Racism, said: “We welcome IOPC’s decision on the disciplinary hearing for gross misconduct against Martyn Blake. However Chris Kaba was unarmed when he was shot in the head by Blake and this decision, regardless of the outcome, will not deliver justice. We support the family’s campaign for justice and real change.”
A date for the misconduct hearing has not yet been scheduled.
For more information in misconduct proceedings Police misconduct: how is it established? - Saunders Law
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