A police officer has been sentenced to an eight-week custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months, for assaulting a 13-year-old boy who had called for help. The officer, who has not been named, was found guilty of assault by beating after an investigation by a police watchdog.
The incident occurred outside a police station in Wiltshire, where the boy and his friends had called 999 for assistance. The officer, who was wearing a body camera, became aggressive and hit the boy six times after he asked for help.
Body worn footage captured the officer using aggressive language and behavior, including telling the boy to "get out of the way" and saying he "didn't give a f*" that the conversation was being recorded. The officer's actions have been described as "unacceptable and wholly disproportionate" by a police watchdog official.
The boy had told the officer that he was missing from home and was wearing school uniform, and had asked to be taken home. Instead, the officer escalated the situation, using physical force and aggressive language.
The officer's behavior has been widely condemned, with a police spokesperson stating that his actions do not represent the values of the police organization. The officer will face a gross misconduct hearing at a later date.
The police watchdog official described the officer's language, body language, and attitude as aggressive, and said that his actions will have damaged trust and confidence in policing. The incident has raised concerns about police behavior and the need for officers to be trained to de-escalate situations.
The officer has been ordered to undertake unpaid work as part of his sentence. The police organization has stated that it will continue to identify and remove officers with similar attitudes and make its stance on such behavior clear to the public.
