SYP officers cleared over footage of confrontation with teenage girls
South Yorkshire Police has cleared officers filmed apparently shoving and drawing weapons on a group of teenage girls after a review found their use of force was proportionate and justified.
The force’s professional standards department examined body-worn video and written accounts from all officers involved in the incident, which took place in the Rawmarsh area of Rotherham over the weekend, and concluded that while there “is an opportunity for learning around de-escalation,” the actions taken were “proportionate, necessary, and justified to keep all involved safe.”
The finding represents a significant reversal of tone from the force’s initial response, in which it described the footage — widely shared on social media — as appearing “nothing short of shocking.”
The clip showed officers being confronted by a group of girls dressed for a night out before one officer appeared to shove one of the teenagers and draw his baton. Some of the girls ended up on the ground, with two officers pointing Tasers at the group.
South Yorkshire Police said the footage captured only a few seconds of a longer response to a 999 call reporting a fight involving many young people. Although the incident did not meet the national criteria for independent assessment, the force said it had taken the “unprecedented step” of requesting a peer review from another force, which upheld the original determination.
Before the review concluded, South Yorkshire’s metro mayor Oliver Coppard said he was “appalled” by the footage and called on the chief constable to take “the strongest possible action” if wrongdoing was found. The force’s deputy mayor for policing and crime, Kilvinder Vigurs, described the footage as “shocking.”
Neither had commented publicly on the outcome of the review at the time of publication.