Enfield Crime Squad allegations ‘proven’

Officers from the Metropolitan Police Service’s Enfield Crime Squad accused of mishandling property seized during a police operation have had the allegations against them found proven at a misconduct hearing.

The MPS misconduct board found allegations against four officers proven, however, three of the four officers received no sanctions as the board, chaired by John Feavyour, deputy chief constable of Cambridgeshire Constabulary, felt the officers had fully illustrated that they now understood the appropriate processes for handling property. One officer received a written warning.

The hearing concluded a number of investigations into widespread misconduct within the squad.

The issue first came to light in February 2009 over the mishandling of property which was seized during searches by the former members of the crime squad in November 2008. However, once the DPS investigations got underway, further allegations came to light resulting in concurrent investigations carried out by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

Allegations made against officers included claims by two men who were arrested during the property search that they had been beaten, with one alleging that an officer attempted to hold his head under water. However, the statements of both men were found to “substantially contradict each other and their identification of the officers allegedly involved was clearly wrong. Their claims were further undermined by the lack of medical evidence to support claims of repeated assault”.

Other allegations included claims that in June 2008, officers from the squad used excessive force to stop a stolen car and that between 2008 and 2009, officers took suspects’ property such as electrical goods and cars, including a Mercedes, for their personal use.

At the conclusion of these investigations, the MPS passed files to the Crown Prosecution Service relating to 15 officers but it was decided there was insufficient evidence to bring any charges. As a result, the DPS began to progress misconduct proceedings.

Six officers appeared on a misconduct board in November last year in relation to an incident on June 3, 2008, when they conducted an interception on a suspect stolen vehicle being driven by a man in Edmonton resulting in his arrest. It was subsequently decided that one detective sergeant be reduced in rank to detective constable and five officers formally reprimanded after allegations of discreditable conduct were found proven against them.

In addition, in May 2012 a constable was reprimanded after misconduct allegations were found proven following an IPCC supervised investigation into misuse of a vehicle, previously another officer received a written warning.

Commander Peter Spindler, directorate of professional standards, said: “This has been a thorough and robust DPS investigation into a variety of allegations which came to light as our enquiries progressed. Some of these we felt warranted referral to the IPCC who then took on an independent and managed investigation. The actions of some of the former Enfield Crime Squad officers fell below the high standards we expect and the public deserve. It was right that these allegations were fully investigated and now nine officers have had allegations found proven against them.”