Military personnel could be called in to cover for Metropolitan Police firearms officers after dozens handed in their guns over the weekend.

It’s believed more than 100 armed officers handed in their permits to carry weapons after an officer was charged with the murder of Chris Kaba.

Mr Kaba, 24, died in Streatham Hill, south-east London, in September last year after he was shot through an Audi car windscreen. 

The marksman accused of his murder, named only as NX121 after an anonymity order was granted by a district judge, appeared in court for the first time this week.

The Met has now confirmed it has requested help from the armed forces.

Army personnel would only assist with specific tasks and wouldn’t perform any routine policing work or have the power of arrest, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.

A spokesman for the force said: ‘The Ministry of Defence has agreed to a request to provide the Met with counterterrorism support should it be needed.

‘This is a contingency option that would only be used in specific circumstances and where an appropriate policing response was not available.

‘Armed forces personnel will not be used in a routine policing capacity. We will keep the need for the support under constant review.’

An MoD spokeswoman added: ‘We have accepted a Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) request from the Home Office to provide routine counterterrorism contingency support to the Metropolitan Police, should it be needed.’

Scotland Yard said ‘a number of officers have taken the decision to step back from armed duties while they consider their position’, adding: ‘That number has increased over the past 48 hours.’ 

Sir Mark Rowley, the force’s commissioner, said firearms officers are ‘understandably anxious’ in the wake of the murder charge.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has ordered a review of the situation, insisting officers ‘mustn’t fear ending up in the dock for carrying out their duties’.

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