Cumbria police chief says force can handle shootings investigation

The chief constable of Cumbria has told the government his small force can cope with running one of the largest investigations into a mass shooting on British soil. The home secretary, Theresa May, and the prime minister, David Cameron, have both spoken to Cumbria's police chief Craig Mackey, who has told them he has all the resources he needs. They will also visit him tomorrow. In the House of Commons May said "lessons would be learned" about the police response to the shooting spree if any emerged, as some locals questioned why Derrick Bird was able to travel around killing people for three hours after the first emergency calls to police. Cumbria is one of Britain's smallest police services and has bought in detectives from other forces to help it staff a team of 100 detectives investigating the shootings and what led the gunman to open fire. Forces across the north-west of England have offered help. During the time when Bird was carrying out the attacks Cumbria called in helicopters from neighbouring Lancashire and other forces, as well as from the military. In the Commons, Tory MP John Stanley asked: "Should lessons need to be learned from this terrible tragedy about the adequate response times of armed rapid-reaction forces, they will be learned and implemented forthwith, not only in Cumbria but throughout the country." May said stopping Bird had been trickier because he had close knowledge of the area through his work as a cab driver: "There are particular circumstances in Cumbria involving its geography, and the knowledge of the local area of the individual concerned in this incident, Derrick Bird. Of course operational matters are for the police, but I assure my right honourable friend that if there are any lessons to be learned, they will be." Questions have been raised about whether a small rural force like Cumbria could cope with such a large-scale incident. Cumbria and Lancashire police wanted to merge in 2005 after a report by Denis O'Connor, the chief inspector of constabulary said a force should have at least 4,000 officers to be able to meet the demands of modern policing. Cumbria has just over 1,250 officers. But the merger was dropped because it would involve start-up costs the government decided were too high and because locals in Cumbria feared they would lose police officers to their urban neighbour. Several police chiefs have dismissed the idea that Cumbria's response would have been better if had been part of a larger force. One of Britain's most senior officers told the Guardian: " No organisation, not the police service, not the health service, would keep lots of people on duty for an event that happens so rarely. "Cumbria is a low crime area, they are a very good police force who know their area well." Another senior police officer said if Cumbria had been merged with a larger more urban neighbour, the response could have been slower: "You would have your armed response vehicles in urban areas such as Blackpool or Preston, not in the rural parts of Cumbria where gun crime is low." Mackey said his force had to deal with "one of the most horrific and complex incidents ever encountered in the UK". "We should not forget that the teams who responded at these scenes also live in these communities and will have to deal with their own shock and grief. "Despite these traumatic circumstances, I have every confidence that our officers and staff will continue to provide a high level of service to the people of Cumbria."