North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Philip Allott has asked North Yorkshire Police to provide him with a full report of an incident in which police officers appear to knee and punch a man in Harrogate.
The Stray Ferret obtained the clip that was filmed on October 1 by a concerned bystander. It shows four police officers attempting to hold the man down while he shouts “get off”.
One officer then appears to knee the man in the head before another officer appears to punch him in the stomach three times.
North Yorkshire Police said the man was making threats to kill but the force’s Professional Standards Department was reviewing the conduct of the officers involved.
Mr Allott, who is under pressure following controversial comments about the murder of Sarah Everard, told the Stray Ferret he has asked North Yorkshire Police to provide a full report on the circumstances of the incident.
Read more:
- Video appears to show Harrogate police officers punching and kneeing man
- Under-pressure crime commissioner Philip Allott: ‘I will not resign’
A spokesperson for the College of Policing, an arms-length body of the Home Office which sets standards for key areas of policing, said it would not comment on specific incidents but any use of force must be “necessary, proportionate, justifiable and legal”.
The spokesperson said:
“In general terms, when it comes to use of force, officers and staff would be expected to exercise their professional judgement to make decisions based on the circumstances they were faced with.
“The use of force/restraint must be necessary, proportionate, justifiable and legal. All officers are required to account for and justify their actions using the National Decision Model.”