Officer not at fault for fatal collision
A Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officer who was involved in a fatal road traffic collision while responding to an emergency call acted in accordance with the relevant policies and procedures, an investigation has concluded.
MPS officers were responding to an emergency call in a marked police vehicle – following a report of a woman being threatened by a group with a knife – at 9.54pm on August 13, 2019, were they were in collision with Jade Mutua in Warwick Road, Kensington.
The 22-year-old had entered the road from beside a parked Land Rover Freelander and sustained serious injuries.
Officers gave emergency first aid but she died in hospital two days later.
An inquest at Westminster Coroner’s Court, which ended on October 12, determined Ms Mutua died as a result of a road traffic accident.
An investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which concluded in November 2020, looked at the actions and decisions of MPS officers and staff prior to the collision, the manner of the police officer’s driving and the medical assistance provided by officers at the scene.
“We examined an MPS forensic collision report, which studied the response officer’s reaction times to Ms Mutua entering the road,” said the IOPC.
“Research studies suggest most normal road drivers, under test conditions, are able to respond to an unexpected hazard in 0.7 to 1.5 seconds, with 0.7 considered ‘extremely swift’.
“According to the analysis, the MPS driver responded in 0.6 seconds and the police car was travelling at around 62mph in a 30mph zone, prior to the officer’s emergency braking. She was struck at 53mph.”
IOPC regional director Charmaine Arbouin said: “Our investigation found no indication that any MPS officers behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings or had committed a criminal offence.
“However, we did identify the need for the Metropolitan Police to provide radio batteries which will last the duration of an officer’s full shift. On this occasion the officers had to return to their police vehicle in order to send a radio message to other units following the collision.
“My thoughts and sympathies are with Ms Mutua’s family, friends and all those affected by her untimely and tragic death, including the officers involved.”