WIREDGOV

A Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officer has been given a final written warning for gross misconduct following our investigation into the force he used against a child who was being arrested.

On Tuesday (5 July 2022) at the end of a two day hearing, an independently chaired disciplinary panel found Police Constable Anthony Howe used unnecessary and unreasonable force when he stood on the leg of the boy and struck him with a Taser while he was restrained on the ground by two other officers, and also when he pressed his arm against the boy’s neck, after officers stood him up against a wall to be searched.

The 16-year-old boy was arrested on 7 September 2020 after officers witnessed a young man being chased by three youths, some of whom had knives. The boy, who later pleaded guilty to affray and threatening someone with an offensive weapon, gave himself up voluntarily and was not holding a weapon when the officers restrained him.      

The panel found PC Howe breached the professional standards for use of force, authority, respect and courtesy and discreditable conduct as his behaviour could reasonably have been perceived as abusive, oppressive or bullying and that it brought discredit on the police force. They also found he breached the standard for duties and responsibilities for failing to document the force he used against the boy, as required by force policy.

PC Howe has been given a final written warning which will stay on his record for four years.

IOPC Regional Director Sal Naseem recently said:

“Police officers may only use force when it is necessary, proportionate and reasonable in the circumstances. Following our independent investigation, the disciplinary panel found the officer used unnecessary force against a boy who had given himself up and was not resisting.”

We began our investigation in September 2020, after the force referred a complaint from a member of the public who witnessed the incident. Our investigators interviewed eye-witnesses, secured and analysed footage of the incident and interviewed the officer under caution. The investigation concluded in February 2021.