Man injured following contact with police makes a number of complaints - Metropolitan Police Service, October 2017

On 19 October 2017 the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) received a call informing them that a man was attempting to enter a property in Brixton, south London. MPS officers arrived and found a man standing on the flat roof of a neighbouring property. One of the officers went onto the roof with the man, who informed the officer that he had been chased by men with knives, and believed they wanted to rob him. During this interaction, the man then jumped from the roof, and fractured both ankles.

The MPS referred this to us as a ‘death or serious injury’ incident. The man subsequently complained that the MPS officer searched him, even though it was he who had reported being the victim of a crime, and had said they did not believe him when he reported being attacked. He also alleged that the officer told him to ‘go for it’ when he threatened to jump from the roof, and did not keep their distance when the man asked the officer to stay back and said he was suffering from mental health problems and depression.

During the investigation, our investigators interviewed the officer who interacted with the man and whose conduct was under investigation, reviewed body-worn video footage of the incident, and obtained statements from other police witnesses.

Our investigation found that, although the man came to harm, the officer used the National Decision Model (NDM) when assessing potential threats and risk. The officer developed a working strategy they believed to be appropriate given the information available and acted in accordance with policy. The investigation did not find independent evidence to support the man’s allegations.

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.