Met chief backs down on armed patrols in gun hot-spots

'Pro-active' sweeps of London housing estates by armed police units will not become part of routine policing in the Capital, according to Sir Paul Stephenson, the Metropolitan Police commissioner. Officers from his CO19 firearms unit had claimed that the new tactics would be a regular feature of the force's efforts to curb gang wars.

After criticism from local community leaders and the Metropolitan Police Authority Sir Paul was forced to deny this week that routine armed patrols had ever taken place or been planned when he spoke before the MPA on Friday.

The now-abandoned CO19 scheme comprised eight operations in five London boroughs and involved armed officers patrolling with neighbourhood police for between 20 minutes and two and a half hours. Two rifles and a hand gun had been retrieved during the sweeps.

On average, armed officers undertake about 40 operations every week, though these are carried out in reaction to an immediate threat. Guns are only carried on routine patrols at perceived terrorist targets such as Heathrow.

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