The Authority oversaw a Police incident investigation into an allegation that officers attempted to get a Police dog to bite a man during an arrest procedure and punched him repeatedly in the head despite him surrendering. The man also said he lost consciousness multiple times throughout the arrest and that an officer rammed his head into the roof of a patrol car.
The Police investigation found the man’s hands were concealed when Police entered the room to arrest him. The officers involved said the Police dog handler asked multiple times for the man to show his hands, however he failed to comply. The dog handler told the Police investigator that he had received information that the man had a knife on him, and was fearful for his safety, so he attempted to deploy the Police dog to safely apprehend the man. However, when the Police dog did not engage, officers secured the man’s arms, confirmed he did not have a weapon, and placed him in handcuffs.
All officers involved denied punching or seeing other officers strike the man during the arrest procedure. The officer who placed the man into the patrol car said he did not see the complainant’s head hit the car roof, and no other witnesses saw this occur.
The complainant was assessed at the Police station by a Police medical officer, and was transported to hospital for an assessment. The complainant was discharged and returned to Police custody.
The Police investigation included a review of the complainant’s medical records and confirmed he had no injuries after the arrest procedure.
Police found no evidence to support the complainant’s account that he was hit multiple times in the head and concluded the attempted use of the Police dog was proportionate and justified to overcome the resistance offered by the man. However, their investigation highlighted a minor breach in policy as the officers involved did not adequately report the force they used. While Police’s entry into the complainant’s house was lawful, the officers referred to an incorrect entry power in their reporting.
The Authority is satisfied with how Police conducted their investigation, and the outcome reached.
IPCA: 25-28114