Complaint about use of force - West Midlands Police, October 2017

On 11 October 2017 West Midlands Police officers arrested and detained a 15-year-old on suspicion of taking a vehicle without consent. During the arrest the teenager sustained a facial facture. After being interviewed for the offence, he alleged that it had been caused when an officer struck him in the face with a torch.

During the investigation, our investigators interviewed the complainant and obtained accounts from the officers present during the arrest. We reviewed the complainant’s medical records and the accounts he provided to custody and medical staff explaining the cause of his facial injuries. We also reviewed all of the documentation and footage from the incident, arrest and custody suite in detail.

The officer provided consistent accounts, stating that he did use force on the 15-year-old, namely a fisted punch to the face, in response to threatening behaviour. The teenager provided inconsistent accounts, which could lead to less weight being attributed to his account.

We were of the opinion that the officer’s use of force was a reasonable, proportionate and necessary response to the situation in which he found himself and in accordance with local and national policy and legislation.

We did not uphold the complaint.