The Metropolitan Police’s report into the summer disorder, “Four Days In August”, is released after what the force calls a comprehensive internal review. This report is the Met assessment of actions, findings and work undertaken. This is the final report, the force having published an interim report in October 2011.
Despite many thousands of officers putting themselves in the line of fire and working almost around the clock to try to protect London, the Met says it was not able to contain the disorder until the fourth day. The Met admit that its engagement, intelligence and operational response plans were not sufficient to prevent or respond to the unprecedented scale and speed of the unfolding disorder in the summer. The Met says that it has sought to take as comprehensive a view as possible in compiling this report to provide an accurate reflection of events and lessons to be learnt. For the full 144-page report which covers Tottenham, Haringey, the media, family liaison, and use (or not) of intelligence, visit the Met website.
Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said: “Having faced unprecedented challenges we are determined to do all we can to improve. Within the pages of this report are a number of areas the Met can do better. The purpose of the review was to identify these and to act upon them – which we are already doing.
“What I hope isn’t lost amongst the public’s reading of our detailed analysis is the extreme situation and the individual acts of heroism that took place across London. The summer was without precedent and as a result stretched the MPS beyond all anticipated capability. However I accept this will be of little comfort for those who were victim to the violence, looting and arson.
“I want to do everything possible to help prevent the Met, and more importantly Londoners, from being in that position again. These recommendations, and the host of changes we have already made, such as Haringey borough having an additional 50 officers and improvements to our mobilisation procedures, will help us to do this.”
