A police officer who was shown to kick a man several times during his arrest has avoided disciplinary action more than a year on. The officer, who has not been named, was shown in footage to kick the man on Hillfoot Road in Hunts Cross on Sunday, August 3, last year during an arrest.
The man was being pursued by the officers for riding an off-road bike in a dangerous manner before failing to stop for police. The bike was abandoned before a foot chase took place.
Footage shows arrest
Footage shared widely shows a man being chased down the road before he is tackled to the ground by the pursuing officer. A marked police car then arrives before an officer gets out the vehicle and runs over.
A witness to the arrest described the officer as then "volleying the man in the neck" before "punching him in the back".
Misconduct meeting outcome
The officer who was found to have kicked the man under arrest six times - four to the thigh and two to the shoulder - has since returned to duty after a misconduct meeting.
Merseyside Police said the officer was referred to the reflective practice review process (RPRP) following the meeting. Although the officer was found to have breached the standards of professional behaviour, he was not found to have met the threshold for misconduct.
The RPRP is a process designed to give officers and line managers the opportunity to discuss where things have gone wrong, and to deal with low-level misconduct or performance issues, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services says.
Suspect sentenced
The man who was arrested in the incident has since been sentenced to six months imprisonment suspended for dangerous driving and failing to stop, as well as being disqualified from driving.
A Merseyside Police spokesperson said: "We can confirm that an officer was referred to the Reflective Practice Review Process (RPRP) following a misconduct meeting.
"An explanation of this process can be found here: The Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020.
"It was found that the officer had breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour, but not at the threshold of Misconduct."
The ECHO understands the officer involved was removed from front line duties while an investigation was conducted by the Police Standards Department of the force.
