Some Met Police officers in Brixton (Photo: Tom Johnson)
The Met Police are holding off on their plans to start using controversial spit hoods. Thanks to London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who's asked the Met to allow him to look more closely at the scheme and consult with the public, the force "will consult further before starting any pilot", according to a statement sent to VICE.The UK's largest police force were set to trial spit hoods – which stop suspects from spitting at officers – from the start of October. However, the announcement drew criticism from plenty of places, including civil rights group Liberty, human rights group Amnesty International and campaigning group INQUEST.
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Chairman of the Met Police Federation, Ken Marsh MBE, has slammed the Met Police's decision. "We're very, very disappointed," he said on the phone today. "Does the mayor have any interest in the welfare of any of his officers?"Yesterday, Marsh defended the scheme against the onslaught of criticism. "If you were to stand there and let someone spit in your face, I find that quite incredible," he told VICE. "This is one of the most horrible things you can do to another individual – it's absolutely disgusting."Today, Oliver Sprague, Amnesty International UK's Programme Director, expressed relief at the Met Police's decision. In an email, he said: "We're relieved that the Met Police has put the brakes on what was a very controversial decision. What's urgently needed now is … assurances that this barbaric equipment will only be used when absolutely necessary."Liberty were unavailable to comment at the time of press, but tweeted: "Delighted @MetPoliceUK have paused plans to use spit hoods – but those plans should be off the table for good."The hoods are already in use in some police forces across the UK; eight rural forces were found to have used them a total of 513 times last year. Spit hoods were also found to have been used unnecessarily, including on children and disabled people. Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act found that a 13-year-old schoolboy and a 14-year-old schoolgirl in Northampton were placed in a spit hood last year, as was a 70-year-old man. Meanwhile, an 11-year-old disabled girl was hooded, restrained and detained for a total of 60 hours in June, with one civil liberties lawyer branding the case one of the most "shocking" examples of "inhumane and degrading" treatment of a disabled child in police custody.
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