GMP officer dismissed for excessive use of force
An officer from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has been dismissed without notice after a disciplinary panel concluded he used excessive force on a man in Manchester city centre.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched an investigation into the behaviour of Police Constable Philip Ellis after a complaint was made following an incident in October 2016.
PC Ellis had attended a disturbance outside a bar on Deansgate Locks and struck a 23-year-old man on the head with his baton while making an arrest. The man subsequently required hospital treatment for his injuries.
At the misconduct hearing held by GMP yesterday (September 2) it was determined that PC Ellis breached the standards of professional behaviour relating to use of force and that gross misconduct was proven.
IOPC Regional Director Amanda Rowe said: “Police officers are trained to deal with challenging situations and should only use force when it is necessary, proportionate and reasonable.
“We found a case to answer that PC Ellis used an excessive amount of force when dealing with the disturbance. Having considered all of the evidence we gathered during our investigation, the panel decided PC Ellis had behaved recklessly and his actions put people at risk.”
The IOPC referred the matter to the Crown Prosecution Service, which decided the evidence did not support a criminal prosecution.
PC Ellis will now be placed on the police barred list.
