Confusion over process for sending water cannon to riots

DOUBTS were cast last night on the process for sending water cannon to riot scenes.

Conservative, Philip Hollobone (Kettering), said that sending bowsers on to the streets to spray violent thugs was a policy decision for ministers rather than an operational choice for police forces.

Prime Minister David Cameron has previously said it was up to top officers to choose whether the cannon were needed, but they would now be available at 24 hours notice.

However, Mr Hollobone tonight told MPs:

“Responsibility for water cannon rests with the Home Office and not chief constables.”

Mr Hollobone, a special constable with the British Transport Police, asked the Home Office about water cannon last November following violence during protests against raising student tuition fees.

He quoted a nine-month- old letter from the junior crime prevention minister, James Brokenshire, who said: “Water cannon are not approved for use in England and Wales.

“Chief officers would need to seek Home Office approval under the code of practice on police use of firearms and less-lethal weapons if they wanted to introduce water cannon to England and Wales as a potential public order tool.

“The Home Office would carefully need to consider its operational merits, its technical and medical risks and its impact on the British model of policing before approving it as a tactical option for police.”

But Mr Hollobone said: “Rioters don’t like being cold and wet and they will go home. If you spray them with cold water, especially if there’s dye in it, it’s easy to arrest them.”