Force action plan after shooting

West Mercia Police have already begun to implement changes to rectify failings in the force which may have contributed to the shooting of Constable Richard Gray, an inquest heard.

Six recommendations have been made to West Mercia Police by the Independent Police Complaints Commission following an investigation into the run-up to May 6 when Constable Gray was shot by Peter Medlicott in New Park Road, Castlefields, Shrewsbury. Mr Medlicott then turned the gun on himself.

Conclusions from an in-depth report from Dawn Mutch, an IPCC senior investigator, were read to the jury during the inquest at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday.

Recommendations include providing better guidance on reporting matters involving firearms holders, for the firearms unit to be more pro-active, that key staff are fully briefed, to carry out a review of the domestic violence policy to make sure it's fit for purpose and that the force gives consideration to its IT system to enable checks to be carried out more easily across systems.

Assistant Chief Constable Simon Chesterman told the inquest a team had been put in place to enforce the recommendations.

He said: "In order to ensure that all possible progress is being made, delivering of the action plan is made by a senior management board. There are currently some gaps. There's too many policies and we need to smarten up on the way we implement them."

Mr Chesterman said the six recommendations formed part of a force action plan and he would ensure they were delivered.

Detective Chief Inspector Sheila Thornes, duty senior investigating officer at the time of the incident, told the jury a number of moves had already been made to improve the system.

She said officers in the custody suite now find out whether anyone arrested holds a firearms licence and a decision is made as to whether, while that person is still in custody, those firearms should be seized.

"I think we should be justifying why we don't seize firearms not why we do," she added.

She said a management meeting had been held which included attendance from the call management centre and it was decided clear direction would be given to call takers to log all relevant information.

She said they would be told that if an individual had access to firearms it was "always relevant". The inquest heard more than 2,550 people hold firearms licences in Shropshire, while more than 10,000 hold shotgun licences.

But Mrs Thornes said although attempts had been made no system had yet been discovered to enable officers to check licence holders against police records.

She said: "I did hope that we would find an IT solution but it is not easy to do that, I couldn't find an IT solution."

The jury also heard that a domestic violence booklet had been updated to include a question about whether anyone involved held a firearms licence.

The inquest continues.