Send In The Troops? Ex-Defence Secretary Says Police Can Call On Army Amid Knife Crisis
5 March 2019, 18:13 | Updated: 5 March 2019, 19:34
The former defence secretary has told LBC that calling in the Army is an option available to the police if they needed extra support in dealing with the knife crime crisis.
Sir Michael Fallon said local police commanders have the ability to call for support from troops for things like large-scale searches or supporting cordons.
But, in an exclusive interview with Tom Swarbrick, he warned “very carefully” about conflating the two roles.
“In the end it is the local police, armed or otherwise, who have that responsibility,” he said.
Meanwhile, Met Commissioner Cressida Dick has told LBC she does not “exclude” the idea, but said it would be “hard to imagine”.
“I think we all need to work together on this and if there are things that the military would offer for us then, of course, I would think about it, not to carry out policing functions but other supplementary functions,” she told Nick Ferrari.
