Fifty police chiefs, including Devon and Cornwall's top officer, have written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging him to block the release of the killers of PC Andrew Harper. The open letter, signed by policing and law enforcement leaders from across the UK, also calls for stronger protections for victims and communities when release arrangements are changed.
PC Harper died in 2019 at the age of 28. He was dragged behind the getaway car of three teenagers who had fled the scene of a quad bike theft in Berkshire.
The letter, addressed directly to the Prime Minister, said the chiefs "welcomed" his intervention regarding the "potential earlier release of those responsible for the death of PC Andrew Harper, and your instruction to the Justice Secretary to examine what can lawfully be done."
The letter continued: "When the state asks people to run towards danger on behalf of the public, they should be able to trust that the justice system will stand behind them when the worst happens.
"PC Andrew Harper's case also raises a wider question.
"When someone is sentenced for an exceptionally serious offence, how much confidence can victims, bereaved families and the public place in that sentence if subsequent changes to release arrangements result in an offender being released significantly earlier than originally anticipated?
"This question extends far beyond policing.
"Families across the country are now facing the distress of learning that offenders may be released earlier than they understood when the sentence was passed.
"We do not suggest that the grief of a police family is greater than that of any other bereaved family, nor that the life of an emergency worker has greater value.
"Our concern is for all victims and families affected by serious offending sentencing changes.
"PC Andrew Harper lost his life while protecting the public and serving his community. Following his death, Lissie Harper campaigned for a change in the law, leading Parliament to establish Harper's Law, recognising the exceptional risks emergency workers take while protecting others.
"While Harper's Law cannot retrospectively alter the sentences imposed following PC Andrew Harper’s death, the principle behind it remains important. Those who serve and protect the public should know that the justice system recognises the risks they take on society's behalf.
"Victims and bereaved families should be confident that sentences imposed for the most serious offences retain meaning and that public protection remains a central consideration when release decisions are made.
"There is a profound strength of feeling across policing about those responsible for PC Andrew Harper’s death benefiting from arrangements that could see them released substantially earlier than expected.
"Officers and staff understand that the law must be applied as it stands. But they will question what message this sends about the value placed on their service and sacrifice when they put themselves in harm’s way to protect others.
"Police officers and staff see first-hand the impact serious crime has on victims and their families. They support people through some of the most difficult moments of their lives and ask them to place their trust in the justice system. That trust is vital and should not be weakened. We are also collectively concerned that an approach to early release which does not sufficiently distinguish the most serious offending risks undermining public safety, victim confidence and wider confidence in the criminal justice system.
"We therefore ask the Government to consider three measures.
"First, we ask that every lawful option is examined to determine whether the earlier release of those responsible for PC Andrew Harper's death can be prevented.
"We recognise that the Government must act within the law. Nevertheless, given the significance of this case, it is right that every available lawful avenue is explored."
Source: www.devonlive.com — Read the original article
Devon and Cornwall Police chief joins others in call to halt release of cop killers