Police response to an altercation - Metropolitan Police Service, July 2019

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) received a 999 call at 11.45pm on Wednesday 24 July that reported that two men were fighting in the street in London E17. Four police officers attended but decided and recorded that no police action was necessary.

A second person phoned 999 at 12.05am to report the men had resumed fighting after the police left. Separately, six police officers in a police vehicle driving on that road were flagged down by a member of the public who reported two men fighting. These officers attended and found one of the men on the floor. He told them he had been drinking but was not drunk, that he had arthritis and was in a lot of pain.

Body worn video (BWV) footage showed the officers helped him to his feet, then spent approximately ten minutes speaking to the other man during which time the first man complained of pain in his neck. The police officers requested an ambulance then subsequently cancelled it and took the man to Whipps Cross Hospital in their police vehicle. The second man was not arrested and left the scene.

BWV footage showed the first man was unable to remain upright after the police officers belted him into a seat in the police vehicle and was unable to walk once they arrived at hospital. Medical records showed the man had a fracture in his spinal cord and an epidural haematoma causing paralysis.

Following a complaint from a relative of the first man, the MPS referred the matter to us and we began an independent investigation.

We reviewed the officers’ body worn video of the incident, obtained witness statements, consulted an expert in spinal injuries for their input, and, in lieu of interviewing the subjects under misconduct caution, provided questions for them to answer in a written response to notice, which they duly provided.

We concluded that none of the officers had a case to answer in respect of misconduct or gross misconduct. However we did identify some concerns that would best be addressed through Reflective Practice for the officers.

We identified three areas of learning relating to training and support for officers.