Complaint regarding use of force - Metropolitan Police Service, October 2016

On 11 October 2016 Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officers attended the scene of an altercation between two men in Tooting, south London. During the altercation, one man stabbed the other with a knife. In response, the second man hit the first man over the head with a bicycle lock. When police attended the scene, the man who had used the knife was being restrained on the ground by the other man. Officers took over the restraint and proceeded to handcuff the man. During the arrest the man complained of neck pain and was transported directly to hospital by ambulance, where he received treatment for a fracture to a vertebra in his neck.

Subsequently, the man complained to us about the conduct of police officers during this incident. He said the force used by police officers had caused him to break his neck and sustain other injuries. He also said that police has stolen his reading glasses and not returned them after his arrest.

During the investigation, investigators obtained statements from officers whose conduct was under investigation and from other police witnesses, as well as accounts from members of the public.

Based on the evidence available, we were unable to determine whether the man’s neck injury occurred during the restraint and arrest process, or whether it was the result of being restrained, or struck with a bicycle lock by the other man.

In our opinion, the officer’s use of force to restrain the man was necessary in order to physically disarm him.

We found no indication that any person serving with the MPS may have behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings. We did not uphold the man’s complaint.

After reviewing our report, the MPS agreed with our findings.