Met PCs committed misconduct in Croydon schoolboy search

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BBC

Two Metropolitan Police officers who handcuffed a 14-year-old black schoolboy on the ground during a stop and search in south London committed misconduct, a watchdog has said.

PC McCorley Clewes and former PC Benjamin Morgan were among four officers involved in the stop in Blackhorse Lane, Croydon, in June 2022 following reports of a stolen mobile phone.

The boy, known as Child B, was spotted near the location of the robbery and was restrained, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said.

Nothing was found on the boy and his mother made a complaint which the IOPC investigated.

Its regional director Mel Palmer described Child B as someone who was “small in stature”.

“The officers failed to take into his account his age, keeping him in handcuffs for longer than necessary after nothing was found during the search,” she said.

“Their actions and use of force were clearly of concern to a number of bystanders who raised issues at the time to the officers.”

The Met Police has been approached for a comment, but earlier in the week the force announced a new “child-first” approach to policing in London.

Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said officers would receive training in childhood vulnerability and “adultification bias”, where young people from certain backgrounds were viewed as more grown up.

The IOPC said officers had received a report that four black boys aged around 14, three wearing black puffer coats and one wearing a dark blue hoody, had robbed a phone from a 13-year-old boy.

One of the robbers was said to have claimed they had a knife, although the victim did not report seeing a knife, the IOPC added.

Child B, who was visibly upset, told officers he had come from school and was wearing his school uniform under the hoody, the IOPC added.

The incident was seen by members of the public and mobile phone footage recorded by a witness was analysed by investigators from the IOPC, along with officers’ body-worn video.

The watchdog said on Thursday that an independent panel found the officers’ actions amounted to misconduct.

Specifically relating to the use of force for handcuffing the child for longer than necessary, and for equality and diversity for failing to make reasonable adjustments for the boy.

Allegations PC Morgan had repeatedly asked Child B for his details – when he had no power to insist on being given those details – and threatened to contact his school were also found to be in breach of the standard relating to integrity, the IOPC said.

PC Clewes was also found to have breached the standard of authority, respect and courtesy for his manner when speaking to the child’s mother and members of the public.

The officer was given a final written warning for two years and former officer Morgan could not be sanctioned as he had already resigned from the force, the watchdog added.

The watchdog said they had identified learning for the Met Police that mainly related to its policy on visual identification of suspects and its implementation, and had recommended refresher training as part of its investigation.

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