WIREDGOV

An investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has found two West Midlands Police officers acted with an appropriate level of force when arresting a 16-year-old boy in Bloxwich last year.

The two police officers arrested the boy around 10.10pm on 5 April 2013 in Hamilton Street, after responding to a noisy house party in nearby Penderel Street, Bloxwich. During the arrest, he was restrained by police, and sustained an injury to his ear.

The boy was taken by police to hospital, where he received treatment for his injuries, and was served with a penalty notice for disorder.

The IPCC decided to conduct an independent investigation after the boy’s mother complained to both the IPCC and West Midlands Police about her son’s alleged treatment by the police officers.

IPCC investigators interviewed the boy and the two police officers involved. The investigation found that the boy was asked to move on from the area several times by police prior to his arrest. The boy told the IPCC he refused to move on as he was waiting for a taxi. While the officers were attempting to arrest the boy, a struggle ensued and his head made contact with a wall, causing the injury to his ear.

The investigation concluded that the officers had reasonable grounds for the arrest, and there was insufficient evidence to suggest the force used was excessive or unreasonable. The investigation also found it was appropriate in the circumstances for police to issue him with a penalty notice, as there was some evidence to suggest that the boy was behaving in a drunk or disorderly manner.

The IPCC did uphold two of the complaints. It found that it took the police too long to notify the mother about her son’s whereabouts after he was arrested, and also that the boy’s mother was wrongly informed that he could attend an alcohol awareness course instead of accepting the penalty notice.

The IPCC has shared its findings with West Midlands Police and the boy’s mother, and offered to meet the boy’s mother to explain its findings.

IPCC Deputy Chair Sarah Green said:

“While it is regrettable that the boy sustained an ear injury that required stitches during contact with police, we found there was no evidence of misconduct or criminal behaviour by the West Midlands Police officers related to this arrest.”

Since the date of this incident, the law has changed and penalty notices for disorder may no longer be issued to people under the age of eighteen.

The investigation report is available on the IPCC website.