Police officer to face gross misconduct proceedings

A Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officer will face gross misconduct proceedings

following an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation into the force used on a teenage boy outside a Tottenham secondary school.

The incident took place outside Park View school, in West Green Road, on 8th December 2020. Video footage showing part of what took place surfaced online soon after.

In the video clip a young Black male, reported to be 16 years-old at the time, is seen being held up against a car, in between two police officers. One of the officers punches the boy in the face, placing him in a headlock, before dragging him to the ground.

The IOPC began its investigation on 10th December 2020 following a complaint from the boy and a referral from the MPS.

According to the IOPC, six officers on foot patrol approached a group of Black teenage boys standing near to the school gates, for a search, because of “recent intelligence on local crime trends.”

The IOPC states that body worn video shows that the incident escalated when the officer attempted to handcuff the boy who “either fell or was taken to the ground.”

The boy in the clip was taken to hospital, having sustained facial injuries from the incident. According to the police, three officers were said to have also been injured during the altercation.

The community response to the heavy force captured in the video saw many locals march from Park View to Tottenham Police Station in protest, within a few days of the incident.

Credit: Stephen Furner

At the time, Stand up to Racism Haringey, said in a statement: “The police […] accepted no responsibility for repeatedly punching a child on his head. There is absolutely no justification for such brutality against a child.”

Ken Hinds, chair of Haringey Independent Stop and Search Monitoring Group, also said: “[The group of boys] were not being threatening. The police attempted to stop and search one of the children without any reasonable suspicion.”

The six-month IOPC investigation has found that “the officer had a case to answer for gross misconduct for breaching standards of professional behaviour for use of force and duties and responsibilities.”

However, the IOPC states that “[it] did not believe these potential breaches of professional standards met the threshold for disciplinary action,” but rather felt there was an opportunity for “learning and reflection” on the part of the officer. Particularly, the IOPC states, around their understanding of why incidents like this, where force was used and escalated quickly against a young Black male in public, could be “perceived or experienced as discriminatory.”

The IOPC concludes that it could not rule out whether race and age bias was a factor in the officer’s decision making, stating that there was no evidence of “overt racism”, but that “the officer’s attitude towards the boy could have been considered disrespectful.”

In reference to another officer who was present during the incident, the IOPC has said that they “did not attempt to de-escalate the situation”, and “responded to taunts from the teenagers with unprofessional language that could be considered inflammatory.” The IOPC suggests that this practice“requires improvement”, which the officer should address through “reflective practice.”

Leader of Haringey Council, Peray Ahmet says it is important that residents’ concerns about officers using disproportionate force are addressed.

Cllr Ahmet, said: “I fully understand the concerns from our community surrounding this incident.

“It was important the IOPC recognised there was an issue around stop and search and I welcome the decision that the officer will have a case to answer for gross misconduct and breaching the standards of professional behaviour for use of force and duties and responsibilities.

“There are genuine concerns about the disproportionate use of force by police against Black people. We know there are concerns in our own borough and this needs to be addressed.”

Cllr Ahmet added: “I recognise the IOPC have carried out a full investigation into the incident surrounding the other officer involved and there have been concerns from our local community following the outcome.

“These concerns cannot be ignored, and we are committed to working with our young people and our partners to ensure Haringey remains a safe place for everyone.”

It will now be for the police disciplinary panel to organise a forthcoming hearing to address allegations of the use of force being unnecessary, unreasonable or disproportionate in the circumstances, in addition to addressing claims that there were not reasonable grounds for searching the boy.

IOPC regional director Sal Naseem said: “Police use of force is an area of serious concern for our communities and we recognise the potential for incidents like this to damage public confidence in the police.

“It will now be a matter for the police disciplinary panel, to determine whether the allegations are proven.”