By Gabriel Princewill-
Two Cleveland Police officers are facing a disciplinary hearing after allegedly allowing or witnessing a severely burned man to light up a crack pipe, even though he was doused in petrol.
The incident, which occurred in Middlesbrough last September, raises serious concerns about the officers’ conduct and the force’s history of misconduct, especially after recent efforts to improve its image.
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The independent misconduct hearing revealed body-worn camera footage capturing the distressing scene.
The man, audibly in pain, was encountered by the officers who attempted to calm him down. Reports indicated that he had accidentally set himself on fire after spilling fuel from a Gerry can while smoking a cigarette.
However, subsequent investigations revealed that another individual had intentionally doused him in petrol and set him ablaze before fleeing the scene.
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The first responding officer whose identity has been anonymised by the force, claimed not to be aware of the man smoking crack but admitted she thought he was merely smoking a cigarette.
She defended her actions by stating that she had confiscated one lighter due to the strong smell of petrol. As additional officers, including the second officer arrived at the scene, their body-worn cameras were activated.
Both officers turned off their cameras while still inside the property, arguing that they no longer considered it a crime scene. Officer A explained her decision, stating that she believed the injured man was dealing with an accident and not a crime.
When questioned about not intervening when the man attempted to light his gas hob in the kitchen, she expressed concern about causing him more harm.
The legal representative for Cleveland Police, Oliver Thorne, suggested that Officer A deliberately turned off her camera to allow the man to smoke crack cocaine.
The officer vehemently denied any wrongdoing, asserting that she was focused on assisting an injured and distressed individual.
This incident casts a shadow over Cleveland Police’s recent efforts to address its shameful history of misconduct.
The force has been under special measures to improve its standards, making this case particularly damaging to its credibility.
The disciplinary hearing is poised to delve deeper into the officers’ actions, shedding light on whether their conduct was an isolated incident or indicative of broader issues within the force.
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