Actions of two officers responding to a 999 call - Hampshire Constabulary, May 2017

On 18 May 2017, two officers from Hampshire Constabulary responded to a 999 call in Southampton where two men had been attempting to force a third into the back of their car.

Officers attended the scene, found no trace of either the alleged attackers or the suspected victim and left after a short time. Later that same evening, a car and men matching the description of the suspects were involved in another incident in which a member of the public was seriously injured.

Hampshire Constabulary referred the matter to us due to concerns about the actions and decisions of the officers who attended the initial 999.

During the investigation, investigators interviewed the two officers involved and witnesses to the incident and examined tracking data retrieved from the officers’ vehicle.

The Investigator formed the opinion that the officers’ performance may have fallen below the expected level. There was evidence to suggest the officers may have failed to explore the full range of lines of enquiry open to them at the scene of the incident. While their priority was locating the alleged victim of the incident, it is unclear why this required both officers, when one might have been more usefully employed either speaking to potential witnesses on the street, such as the informant, or examining the scene.

After reviewing our report, Hampshire Constabulary agreed, and advised that they considered the officers’ performance had been unsatisfactory on this occasion. Both officers were referred to their district commanders for performance improvement measures.