Use of Taser – Metropolitan Police Service, January 2020

On Friday 17 January 2020, Metropolitan Police Service officers attended reports of a man trying to climb out of a window at an address in Erith. Officers arrived at the address and forced entry to the property after the man refused to open the door. Once inside the flat, one officer deployed their Taser on two occasions. Following the Taser deployment, the man jumped out of a window.

The London Ambulance Service and Helicopter Emergency Medical Service were called and provided first aid. We believe the man suffered multiple fractures, none of which were life-threatening or life changing.

IOPC investigators obtained witness statements from police officers who attended the incident, police officers’ body-worn camera footage was analysed, along with downloads from Tasers, radio and airway transmissions and policy and training documents.

Our investigation found that all officers conducted themselves appropriately, the use of the Taser was justified and necessary and there was no indication any police officer had behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings or had committed a criminal offence.