Pursuit and use of force - Metropolitan Police Service, May 2018
At around 10.50pm on 25 May 2018, Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officers in a marked police armed response vehicle (ARV) unit in east London saw a vehicle swerving in response to the presence of police. Officers in the ARV followed the vehicle after activating their blue lights. Shortly after, the vehicle collided with a van and then head-on with a car driven by a member of the public. One of the passengers tried to walk away and officers used force in order to detain him. Following a medical assessment, it was found that the man had suffered a fractured vertebra requiring surgery. He was discharged on 2 June 2018.
Our investigators attended the scene of the incident and conducted a detailed examination. They received 12 witness statements from police officers and others. They also analysed CCTV footage, police officers’ body-worn camera footage and vehicle-mounted camera footage, along with data downloads from the police vehicle, including information such as location and speed, and radio transmissions.
Despite several attempts to contact the man we were unable to do so, and progressed our investigation without his account or medical records.
Officers stated that, when they arrived at the site of the collision, the man attempted to walk away after leaving the car, ignored instructions to stay and then resisted during restraint. After the man had been handcuffed he remained under police watch while waiting for the ambulance to arrive. Evidence indicated that officers involved in restraining the man at this point demonstrated awareness that he had been in a collision and went out of their way to allow him to adjust his position. The man appeared to become unresponsive on two occasions and his handcuffs were removed, at which point the man tried to stand up and reach within his waistband. We were of the opinion that continued restraint was reasonable and necessary in the circumstances.
Based on the evidence available we were of the opinion that the pursuit was justified and conducted in line with policy, and that the force used by all officers was justified and proportionate in order to effect an arrest, safeguard the man’s welfare and prevent further injury to him or the officers present.
Based on the evidence available we found no indication that any person serving with the police may have behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings, or had committed a criminal offence.
We completed our investigation in May 2019.