Paula Dodds, Chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said: "Being a firearms officer in London is one of the world’s toughest jobs. Officers, who volunteer for this role, know the responsibility and accountability that comes with it.
"Our police officers, however, must also have confidence that they have the legal protections needed to do the difficult and dangerous jobs society expects of them.
"The actions and arguments from the Independent Office for Police Conduct have been questionable from start to finish. We have to ask who holds them to account for putting a courageous colleague through the past ten years of torment?
"Police officers are the most accountable of public services. But how can it be right for a police officer protecting the public from dangerous criminals to have such a case hanging over them for a decade? It’s hugely concerning that this case lasted so long.
"We need those in the Criminal Justice System making decisions potentially affecting our colleagues' livelihoods and liberty to have some understanding of the environment we work in and the reality of policing London.”
Paula added: “Today’s result means our colleague W80 can put this incident behind him with an unblemished character. And we are proud to have supported him throughout the legal process. We ask that W80 and his family are now left alone to get on with their lives.
"We would like to thank W80's legal team and the Federation representatives who have supported him for the past ten years."
