WIREDGOV

An investigation we carried out after police shot and injured Duncan Campbell in Heanor, Derbyshire, found that the firearms officer involved acted proportionately and in line with policy and procedure.

The incident happened shortly before 1am on 26 August last year (2017) after Derbyshire Constabulary initially received a report of concern for a man’s welfare and then calls, later discovered to have come from Mr Campbell, telling them a man armed with a handgun was walking near Heanor Health Centre.
 
Mr Campbell was shot once in the chest by one of two police officers who challenged him in Stainsby Avenue. The officers then provided first aid until an ambulance arrived. In November, following his recovery, Mr Campbell appeared in court and was given a suspended 16-month prison sentence after he admitted having an air pistol and causing a police officer to believe that unlawful violence would be used.

IOPC Regional Director Derrick Campbell said: “Evidence gathered by our investigators indicated that the shot was fired when Mr Campbell raised his pistol despite being red dotted with a Taser as a warning and told by the officers to put the gun down. Fortunately Mr Campbell survived but his actions could so easily have had tragic consequences.

“We found that the officers acted in accordance with national and local policies and used necessary and reasonable force when faced with a very difficult set of circumstances. This was acknowledged by Mr Campbell himself when he told us that he felt the police did everything that they should have done.”

A statement given by Duncan Campbell to our investigators said: “I would like to say that I understand the position that I put the firearms officers in and that my remorse is genuine. I would like the officers to know that I am genuinely sorry.”

The officers were treated as witnesses throughout our investigation which was completed last month (May). Along with witness statements we also considered evidence from body worn video footage, recordings of 999 calls and police radio transmissions.