MPS: “We are very sorry for the distress that has been caused to the family”

The Metropolitan Police Service has apologised for the “distress that has been caused to the family of Mark Duggan, especially because of the way in which his parents became aware of his death.”

Although immediate members of Mr. Duggan’s family were told of his death, the MPS admitted that they did not inform his parents.
 

In a statement, the MPS said: “On the night of Mr. Duggan’s death the MPS sent specially trained Family Liaison Officers to the scene to meet with two members of Mr. Duggan’s family. These FLOs agreed to the family members’ request that they tell Mr. Duggan’s parents the news of his death themselves. The family liaison was then handed over to the IPCC Family Liaison Managers, who were fully briefed on what action had taken place.

“As is usual, from this point the MPS had no further on-going family liaison role and so were unaware of the concerns of Mr. Duggan’s parents that they had not been formally notified by police of his death. Having become aware of these concerns we are contacting Mr. Duggan’s parents via their lawyers and offering to meet with them.”