Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC - formerly IPCC)
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Officers commended for first aid provided to teenager following hit and run in Luton

A teenager struck by a car during a police pursuit in Luton received vital first aid from officers an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation has concluded.

At 4.10pm, 14 March 2018 two Bedfordshire Police officers in a patrol car in Luton noticed a silver VW Golf where the occupants seemed to be behaving nervously and decided to carry out a stop.

They followed the car down Norman Road into Leagrave Road, where they activated lights and the siren. The police car followed the Golf into Dane Road and onto Biscot Road where the Golf sped up to over the speed limit and the police began an authorised pursuit.

The Golf turned into Althorp Road and then back onto Leagrave Road where it mounted the kerb to undertake stationary traffic.

The police car undertook the same manoeuvre and continued the pursuit.

On Leagrave Road the Golf collided with a teenage pedestrian who had stepped out into the road. The Golf failed to stop but police officers halted their pursuit, called for an ambulance and administered first aid to the 14-year-old until the paramedics arrived and took over.

The teenager was taken to hospital with extremely serious injuries including multiple broken bones, organ damage and internal bleeding.

A mandatory referral was made by Bedfordshire Police and an independent investigation was launched.

We examined CCTV footage taken from a number of sources along the route of the pursuit, obtained detailed statements from the officers, examined their training records, analysed in car data and downloaded police radio recordings.

We concluded our investigation in December 2018 and were of the opinion the pursuit was authorised and conducted correctly and that neither officer had acted in a manner that would require any further action. We also noted that the first aid administered by the officers may have saved his life and assisted his subsequent recovery.

Bedfordshire Police agreed with this conclusion.

IOPC Regional Director, Sarah Green, yesterday said:

“The injuries to the teenager in this hit and run could have been life-changing and I am delighted that he has made significant progress in recovering from this ordeal.

“The evidence gathered from our investigation indicates this may have been helped by the work of the two officers who administered first aid at the scene and for this they should be commended.”

 

Channel website: https://policeconduct.gov.uk/

Original article link: https://policeconduct.gov.uk/news/officers-commended-first-aid-provided-teenager-following-hit-and-run-luton

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