Latest NewsThe IPCC Forest Gate findingsThe Independent Police Complaints Commission has today published its findings on an investigation into complaints made by the residents of 46 and 48 Lansdown Road following a counter terrorism operation conducted in Forest Gate in June last year. DAC Alf Hitchcock, Met's Diversity and Citizen Focus Directorate, said: "Today's independent report is clear that faced with the intelligence we had, the operation was necessary and proportionate and had at its heart a commitment to protect the public. The IPCC came to this conclusion after having been provided with full access to all the available and relevant intelligence. "Intelligence is taken from a range of sources and is subject to evaluation, assessment and development to produce an overall picture of what we are dealing with. The police then have to take very difficult operational decisions which in this case have been examined by the IPCC and have been found to be necessary and proportionate. "Since that day a number of serious allegations have been made about the conduct and actions of our officers. These allegations had the potential to damage public confidence in the police service and we welcome today's opportunity to set the record straight. "The IPCC has conducted a thorough and independent investigation that has concluded that the overwhelming majority of the allegations made were unsubstantiated. The most serious of these allegations were subject to a second level of independent scrutiny by the Crown Prosecution Service. The ultimate conclusion is that no officer should face either criminal or misconduct proceedings. "The MPS learned a great deal from Forest Gate about community consultation and engagement and it is only with the help and support of all Londoners that we can continue to fight the very real and serious threat of global terrorism. The recommendations made by the IPCC will help inform future operations." The IPCC investigated 153 complaints from the residents of 46 and 48 Lansdown Road. The complaints broadly related to the conduct of officers involved in the operation, the treatment of persons arrested and of family members not arrested and to police tactics and procedures adopted during the raid. Only two of the complaints were upheld, both were of a minor nature, we nevertheless accept the Commission's findings. They relate to single occasions where the provision of medication (painkillers) and food to those held in custody fell below the standards expected. Immediately after the operation there was a great deal of ill founded, premature and one sided comment made to the media regarding the discharge of a firearm, however in July last year the IPCC published its report into this incident, concluding that it had been an accidental discharge and that the officer had not committed a criminal or disciplinary offence. Despite concerns about the number of officers involved in this operation we would reiterate that only fifteen officers initially entered and secured the address. The remainder of the officers were required to help keep the public safe, to staff cordons and to deal with road closures. The Forest Gate operation provided many learning points for the Metropolitan Police Service about community consultation. We remain committed to working with communities in the future during the planning, execution and aftermath of operations and fully recognise that it is only with the co-operation of all London's communities that we can defeat terrorism.
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