Why our police don't stand a chance: Ex-officer warns officers aren't equipped to deal with lawless London - and need more than just batons and pepper spray to fight attackers armed with machetes and swords

Unarmed British bobbies are not properly equipped to deal with violent incidents like yesterday's sword rampage in Hainault, a former officer said today. 

Two officers and two members of the public were seriously injured and a 14-year-old boy killed during a 22-minute reign of terror that ended with the 36-year-old suspect being Tasered and arrested. 

The first local officers on the scene are not believed to have been carrying Tasers, with only about 7,500 of the Met's 34,000 police officers currently trained to carry the non-lethal devices. 

Today the Police Federation led calls for every frontline cop to be equipped with one of the devices, which fire two barbs that attach to the targets skin before releasing a current that overrides a person's ability to make voluntary movements.

Former London police officer Norman Brennan spearheaded a campaign to allow officers to be armed with side handle batons, stab resistant vests and CS spray. He said it was time to 'bring ourselves up to date' and give police more means to protect themselves.

'Every single proactive frontline officer should be given a Taser and should also be double crewed,' he told MailOnline. 

'But Tasers are not always effective. They may not discharge, and if someone is wearing a baggy coat or thick jumper the barb may not hit the skin. 

'If the Taser had not worked for the female police officer arresting the Hainault suspect she could have been seriously injured. 

'The only way to deal with people to deal with people carrying machetes, knives and swords and pose an imminent threat to you and the public is a firearm.

'We keep saying how wonderful it is that our police run towards danger, but we wouldn't send an Army to fight a war ill-equipped.' 

Tasers can be used to repel or subdue violent attackers before armed officers arrive, but Mr Brennan warned there was often a risky wait until they could reach the scene. 

'Notice who arrived last - it was the firearm response teams - and in rural areas they can take even longer to arrive,' he said. 

'I believe it's time that the romantic image of the unarmed bobby is assigned to the history books.

'Every Police Shift in Britain should have at least one officer armed with a sidearm so they can respond to incidents like yesterdays.' 

Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said today that he was reviewing whether officers 'should have wider access' to Tasers. 

But he argued giving police firearms would not the answer.  

 'I am not someone who is a fan of moving to fully armed policing,' he told LBC. 'We should be proud of our largely unarmed model, that is something to be envied and protected.'

A total of 14,626 knife offences were recorded by police in the capital last year - an average of 40 a day and up by a fifth on 2022.

There was also an increase in gun crime, with 1,208 recorded over 2023 - up by more than 200 compared to the previous year.

Earlier today, Sir Mark said a female police officer suffered 'horrifically serious' arm injuries during yesterday's attack and had undergone several hours of surgery. 

'The surgeon spent many, many hours basically putting her arm back together,' he said.

A male officer also suffered serious hand injuries and is recovering in hospital.

The boy who died was a pupil at Bancroft's, the same school attended by Grace O'Malley-Kumar who was killed in Nottingham last summer as she tried to save her friend Barnaby Webber from a knife attacker.

The boy's mother works at Holy Family Catholic School, which published a statement on its website addressed to parents and carers that said: 'It is with great sadness that I share with you the news of the death of the child of one of our staff members.

'Mrs Anjorin's son was taken from this life suddenly this morning on his way to school. Please keep Mrs Anjorin, her husband and their other children in your prayers.'

Sir Mark told the broadcaster: 'People say officers run towards danger.

'What you've actually seen on some of the videos that are around social media and on news sites... you actually see what that really looks like.

'You've got officers running towards someone who's waving a sword.'

The sword rampage in East London has renewed focus on the issue of knife crime in the capital in the lead up to the mayoral elections.

Sir Mark claimed the capital is safer than Birmingham, Manchester and West Yorkshire when it comes to serious violence.