Officer who put Taser to the neck of boy during stop and search given final written warning

PC Connor Jones was among Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officers responding to a report of a young black male with a samurai knife chasing two boys with weapons near Armitage Road in Greenwich on September 4, 2020.

PC Jones, alongside another officer, stopped a group of five teenagers in the area –four black boys, including Jamar Powell, and one white boy – who they believed matched the description provided in the initial call.

One of the boys was searched while handcuffed and kneeling in the road. As part of this search, PC Jones held a Taser against his neck and can be heard on video telling him he will deploy it if he moves.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said: “While police body-worn video (BWV) from the two officers was not available to the IOPC (PC Jones did not activate his body worn camera and the Met was unable to provide us with the other officer’s body worn video), the second officer described in their account to the IOPC that after they stopped the group, Jamar attempted to walk away from them.

“Officers then drew their Tasers and aimed the red dot at Jamar, handcuffed him while he was on his knees in the road and, it was alleged, PC Jones held a Taser against his neck, which the officer denied.

“Firearms officers also attended the incident and the five boys were subsequently released when no weapon was found.”

Following the incident, a complaint was received and investigated by the local MPS Professional Standards Unit. The investigation concluded in December 2020 with the complaint not upheld and no misconduct identified for PC Jones.

The complainant appealed the decision to the IOPC, which launched an independent investigation on June 4, 2021.

“They directed a gross misconduct hearing should be held for PC Jones and it concluded today, Friday, September 20,” the MPS said.

A disciplinary panel, headed by an independent legally-qualified chair, agreed with the IOPC’s findings that the officer’s action in pressing the Taser against Jamar’s neck was “not necessary, reasonable or proportionate” and breached the police standards of professional behaviour relating to use of force and authority, respect and courtesy.

The panel found these breaches were proven at the level of gross misconduct. The final written warning will be in place for three years.

However, the panel did not find that there was sufficient evidence to prove that PC Jones’ actions were influenced by the boy’s ethnicity and concluded there was no breach of the standard of professional behaviour relating to equality and diversity.

It also found that PC Jones did not breach the standard of use of force for threatening Jamar that if he moved he would be Tasered.

He also failed to comply with policies in regard to detailing the incident and retention of the BWV, after not completing a use of force form and not wearing the BWV due to technical difficulties with it.

IOPC regional director Mel Palmer said: “When used correctly, stop and search is a very useful component of the policing toolkit. But it must be used reasonably and proportionately.

“There was no need for the Taser to be placed on Jamar’s neck to handcuff him when he was already kneeling in the road, with his hands clearly visible and placed on his head.

“This would no doubt have been a frightening experience for Jamar, with officers armed with firearms and Tasers, and PC Jones’ behaviour was oppressive and bullying.

“He denied pressing his Taser against Jamar’s neck, however, after hearing the evidence, the panel found that he did what was alleged and that this use of force was not justified, proportionate or necessary.”

Chief Superintendent Trevor Lawry, in charge of policing for South East Basic Command Unit, said: “We acknowledge that this was a distressing incident for the boy involved and recognise the ongoing impact it has had on both him and his family. We have previously apologised for the trauma caused and we repeat this again today.

“It is right that any use of force and stop and search are scrutinised and in this case, the panel found that PC Jones’ actions were not proportionate or necessary.

“Stop and search is one of the tactics we use to tackle knife crime and we know that when used in a focused and appropriate way, it helps us keep Londoners safe.

“However we also recognise that when done incorrectly, we risk damaging members of the public’s trust. This is why we continue to monitor our stop and search activity, and are working with our communities to create an agreement on how we conduct stop and search in the future.”