Police boss apologises to attacks families for 'lack of empathy'

A SENIOR police officer has apologised to the bereaved families and survivors of the Nottingham attacks about a press statement which he told a public inquiry lacked empathy.

- 

Rob Griffin, who was Nottinghamshire Police's assistant chief constable at the time of Valdo Calocane's violent rampage, told the inquiry he regrets a statement which said the police could not have stopped what happened.

On Monday, the public inquiry being held in central London was shown a statement Mr Griffin, who is now the force's temporary deputy chief constable, made to the media after the attacks.

In that statement, he said: “I'm really confident that everything that we did was thorough and professional. I wouldn't have looked to have changed anything, and tragically, we couldn't have stopped any of what happened.”

Asked about this statement by counsel to the inquiry Julian Blake, Mr Griffin said: “When I reflect on it now, I can see the impact those words are likely to have on the bereaved families and survivors. They are words I regret, yes.