The Met Police has said the Army is no longer needed to support its firearms department after officers returned to work today.

As of lunchtime on Monday, the number of officers who had returned to armed duties was sufficient for Scotland Yard to no longer require external assistance.

It comes after officers decided to hand back their tickets over the weekend after one officer was charged with murder.

Earlier today Met Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley demanded increased legal protections for officers.

The force’s commissioner today said he welcomed a review into the situation by Home Secretary Suella Braverman and said in a letter to her ‘let the police police’.

A Met Police spokesperson said: ‘Senior officers, including the Commissioner, have been meeting with firearms officers in recent days as they reflect on the CPS decision to charge NX121 with murder.

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‘Many are worried about how the decision impacts on them, on their colleagues and on their families.

‘They are concerned that it signals a shift in the way the decisions they take in the most challenging circumstances will be judged.

‘A number of officers have taken the decision to step back from armed duties while they consider their position but in the past 24 hours some have returned.

‘We are in ongoing discussions with those officers to support them and to fully understand the genuinely held concerns that they have.

‘The Met has a significant firearms capability and we continue to have armed officers deployed in communities across London as well as at other sites including Parliament, diplomatic premises, airports etc.

‘On Saturday, the Ministry of Defence agreed to provide the Met with counterterrorism support as a contingency option.

‘As of lunchtime on Monday, the number of officers who had returned to armed duties was sufficient for us to no longer require external assistance to meet our counterterrorism responsibilities.

‘We are grateful to the Ministry of Defence and the armed forces personnel involved for their support.

‘A limited number of armed officers from other UK police forces continue to support non-counterterrorism armed policing.

‘We will keep the need for this support under review. Met officers still make up the vast majority of armed resources deployed across London.’

Earlier today Sir Mark suggested legal changes over the way self-defence is interpreted in police misconduct cases, the introduction of a criminal standard of proof for unlawful killing in inquests and inquiries and changes to the threshold at which the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) can launch an investigation.

He said in the letter: ‘In the UK we proudly police by consent, embracing the principles of accountability, transparency and independent scrutiny.

‘It is essential that we have a system which commands the confidence of officers and the communities they serve.

‘Of course, where wrongdoing takes place the public expect us to be held to the highest standards.

‘I have been clear on this in all areas of policing, and the use of force must be no exception.

‘The system that judges officers’ actions should be rooted in integrity and decisions should be reached swiftly, competently and without fear or favour.

‘A review is needed to address accountability mechanisms, including the policies and practices of the Independent Office for Police Conduct and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), ideally with a focus on the threshold for investigating police use of force and involvement in pursuits.

‘The review announced today is therefore a very welcome development.

‘I have spoken publicly in recent weeks about the need to let the police police.

‘Our commitment to delivering change in the Met is unflinching and we are making positive progress, but that progress is undermined by a system not set up to help officers succeed.’

Sir Mark called for time limits for IOPC and CPS processes to ‘reduce the punitive impact’ on officers facing lengthy investigations.

He also suggested more contextual information about incidents could be released ‘to ensure public confidence in policing’.

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