The jury in the Jean Charles de Menezes inquest has today been visiting the Tulse Hill flat of the deceased and Stockwell Underground station where he was killed. Major security measures are in place, just one illustration of the heavy tensions surrounding these events. On Friday, Sir Ian Blair's internal website message to Scotland Yard staff was leaked to the de Menezes family campaign. It echoes the view that this is most testing scrutiny the Met has faced since the Macpherson Inquiry and defines the tone it will adopt:
Our approach will be one of humility. On 22nd July 2005, we confidently believed that our systems of command, of surveillance and of firearms intervention were among the best in the world. However, they failed in response to a previously unforeseen circumstance, suicide bombers on the run.
It also seeks to rally the troops:
This will be a difficult couple of months and we must brace ourselves for criticism.
I am certain that the amount of work we have done in the aftermath of the tragedy and the professionalism of the colleagues giving evidence will take us through the turbulence that lies ahead and it is to be hoped that one of the legacies of Jean Charles is a Metropolitan Police Service even better equipped to deal with tragedy and danger.
Finally, I am acutely conscious of the fact that the inquest will come on top of some serious challenges around race, within and outside the organisation. I am immensely proud that, despite the past few weeks, you continue to deliver a first-class service to all Londoners. You should stay proud too.
Brave words, but how will its audience respond?
