Injuries received during contact with police - West Yorkshire Police, September 2018

On 12 September 2018, plainclothes officers from West Yorkshire Police (WYP) attended a location in Halifax, after intelligence was received that two identified men associated with that location had access to a firearm.

While carrying out surveillance in the area, the officers observed a person leave a property ‘cocking’ a firearm and putting it in his waistband. Although he was not a target of the investigation, the officers obtained firearms authority, along with tactics in how to detain him.

The officers were in three unmarked cars, with a fourth unmarked van in support. The person seen with the firearm was on foot. The officers ‘boxed in’ the person with their car. The vehicle at the rear of the box made contact with the person, who sustained a fractured leg. The person was arrested and then taken to hospital to be treated.

Following the incident, officers involved took part in a post-incident procedure process. As part of this process, officers provided two accounts of their involvement in the arrest of the person.

We interviewed the person who sustained the injury. All officers were treated as witnesses throughout the investigation.

Evidence showed that the injury was caused by contact between the police vehicle and the person. We found no indication or other information to suggest that the police vehicle had been made to deliberately collide with the person who sustained the injury.

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 concluded our investigation in May 2019.

After reviewing our report, WYP agreed.