Batons should be forensically examined concludes IPCC

The IPCC has recommended that officers who use batons to quell disorder on large-scale demonstrations and cause injury to protestors as a result should have their batons seized for forensic examination.

The recommendation was included in a report by the IPCC into the policing of the public disorder that arose out of the Countryside Alliance march held in Parliament Square in Central London in September 2004.

The Met estimated that there were 10,000 people on the march to protest against the Government’s Bill to ban hunting with dogs. Even though the majority of protestors were not involved in any disorder, a small number of people attending the demonstration got through police lines to try and disrupt Parliament.

Complaints were investigated from 54 people who attended the demonstration who claimed to be injured by police officers and also from 119 people who attended the demonstration but were not injured. Forty people withdrew their complaints.

A total of 17 files went to the CPS – summonses were issued to seven of these – three of these went to trial and all three were acquitted. One officer went to a disciplinary tribunal and the case was found to be not proven. Two officers were sent for disciplinary action – one of these was given words of advice and the other one faced a disciplinary tribunal which was found to be not proven.

The IPCC recommended: “If similar situations occur to that which occurred in Parliament Square, when it is obvious that the use of batons has caused injury, procedures should be put in place which identify the officers who have used their batons, the batons should be retained by senior officers and they should be correctly identified and exhibited and should be stored in containers individually, which allows for further forensic examination if necessary. This procedure should be carried out before officers leave the scene or go off duty.”

The report recommended that the Gold or Silver commanders should consider when planning resources for major incidents, including demonstrations, appointing a forensic manager as part of the Bronze command structure, to advise on any forensic, exhibit handling issues.

It also recommended that the Met public order training department urgently reviewed the tactical options available to police when subject to attack at a police line with a view to minimising the risk of physical force being used by individual police officers and only as a last resort with consideration being given to all equipment now available.

A further recommendation called on the force to give consideration to and model, as part of basic planning for demonstrations, the likely dynamics of movement of a crowd and ensure reasonable provision is made within the cordon for measures to prevent mass surge and designated escape routes for persons not wishing to be forces toward police lines. It said the measures would also be designed to prevent crushing. It also advised that consideration should be given to the use of portable matrix information boards with large-scale displays to inform of the risk of crushing and the communication of police orders.