Anthony Grainger shooting: Body cameras to be worn by all armed officers

Anthony Grainger was shot dead by a firearms officer on 3 March 2012

Body cameras must now be worn by all specialist firearms officers after a man was shot dead by police.

Anthony Grainger, 36, was in a stolen car when he was shot in the chest in a car park in Culcheth, Cheshire in 2012.

A public inquiry concluded there were "catastrophic failings" by senior Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers in the operation.

A government report said "lessons have been learned" to improve armed police operations in the UK.

Mr Grainger's partner, Gail Hadfield-Grainger, said: "The response is important but words will never be enough to save lives."

She added she intends to meet the Minister of Policing to "ensure concrete changes are made to armed policing to protect the public".

Not armed

Mr Grainger, from Bolton, was sitting in an Audi car when he was shot dead by a firearms officer during a pre-planned police operation on 3 March 2012.

GMP said it believed he was planning an armed robbery but the inquiry heard no firearms were found either on Mr Grainger or in the car.

The public inquiry found there was no intelligence to suggest Mr Grainger was armed.

Mr Grainger was in a stolen Audi in a car park in Culcheth when he was shot

In July last year, inquiry chairman Judge Thomas Teague QC criticised senior officers for "failing to authorise, plan or conduct the firearms operation in such a way as to minimise recourse to the use of lethal force".

The government's response looked at the nine recommendations set out by Judge Teague including:

• the use of bodycam footage and communications of firearms commanders during post shooting proceedings

• covertly fitting blue lights and sirens on unmarked vehicles to be used at the point of an intervention

• changes to policies and procedures

A spokesman said "good progress" had been made on the recommendations with "significant work to implement changes".

It said body-worn video cameras are now a requirement for all armed response vehicle officers and specialist firearms officers when deployed overtly.

The National Police Chiefs' Council is also looking at introducing a maximum time for firearms officers to remain on continuous duty.

GMP said in a statement it had "invested in a significant reform programme to make armed operations safer in Greater Manchester... and nationally."

Six officers remain under investigation for misconduct by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over the shooting.