Man thought he was being robbed by plain-clothes police officers who beat him and pepper-sprayed him during Southall cannabis search

7 comments

1. So these officers:

   – “Dressed inappropriately”

   – Used excessive force

   – Didn’t identify themselves as police officers prior to the search

   – Claimed to have smelled cannabis coming from a vehicle with all of the doors and windows shut.

   – Went from arriving to using force within 7 seconds.

   Quite frankly, I’m glad the officer has been sacked. It’s people like this who cause people to have horrendous experiences with police, and lead to them feeling fearful of future interactions and reluctant to call. They’re one of the main causes of the negative perception that many people have of the police, and should be kicked out.

   One thing I didn’t see mentioned in this article that I read earlier in the day is the reason for the second officer not being sacked. It essentially amounted to the second officer honestly believed that his colleague was carrying out a lawful search, and the subject was fighting back. He was found to have committed misconduct because his force was excessive, and he was dressed inappropriately, not for lying or conducting an illegal search.

2. One of the many good reasons to legalise cannabis is to stop dodgy police officers using it as an excuse to stop people for no good reason.

3. “The officers said that he initially attracted their attention as he was sitting in his parked car near a crime hotspot in Southall, Hounslow.”

   Why is this suspicious? Can’t you sit in your own car? Sounds like they were out fishing

4. Even if he was found to have it (which was not the case here) unless the person is being violent this is just completely inappropriate and wrong way to deal with the situation

   If anything they should had tested the officers responsible to see what they were on with that level of aggression

5. On a positive note, at least one of the guilty officers actually faced the consequences of his actions, and not just given a slap on the wrist.

6. Not excusing wrong things that may have happened here. But as a law abiding citizen, I’m not really against the police sticking their noses into things…
   I’d welcome them to stop me any time and tell me they could smell cannabis.. I don’t have any, so what does it matter…. If that proactivity would bring a safer community for me and my family to live in when the inevitably turn up drugs and weapons on others then so be it.

   It’s weird to me that as a community we want to make it so difficult for police to do their jobs, and then stand on the side of clearly obstructive people saying the police are out of line….

   Must just be me.

7. “All in the game yo, all in the game.”

   Omar little.