The Met Police is facing a fresh bout of criticism after their decision to change the name of their ‘Viper Squad’ unit over fears it is “too aggressive”.
Operation Viper, set up in 2016, will have its named changed to the Proactive Firearms Team.
Bosses have express concern that its association with venomous snakes portrayed the wrong image, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Ex-Metropolitan Police detective Peter Bleksley says the move is a cause for concern, as it has exposed a “fluffy” underbelly in the force.
Peter Bleksley questions where it 'ends' after the Met Police announced a name change
GB News / PA
Speaking on GB News, he said “The Metropolitan Police are so fluffy in 2023, and this is just another example.
“Where is this all going to end? It’s opened a can of worms because obviously the Met Police have the Specialist branch, surely this is too elitist and we need the average branch?”
According to The Standard, other unites are being considered for rebranding, including Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection, where Wayne Couzens, who killed Sarah Everard, and serial rapist David Carrick both worked.
Leader of the City Hall Conservatives, Susan Hall, said: “I assume they have got their reasons, but a mobile phone is stolen every six minutes, burglaries are not being solved. It is all a bit ridiculous and raises questions about priorities.”
Bleksley says police stations may start to lose a fear factor as more woke name changes are introduced.
He told Patrick Christys: “They would deliberately not commit crime on a particular patch because they didn’t want to go to certain police stations.
“Likewise, they didn’t want to be caught by certain squads who have a reputation for catching people and convicting them.
“I think ‘Viper’, short, snappy, to the point, is a good word to be circulated around criminals to strike an element of fear.”
A police spokesman said: “As part of a review of uniform proactive policing the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, Operation Viper team is being renamed to the Proactive Firearms Team.
“The name change better reflects the fact, the team focuses exclusively on firearms crime, predominantly by locating and removing firearms from the street of London.
“The officers in the unit are not armed, but do often work alongside colleagues from MO19 the Met’s Specialist Firearms Command.”