I have just watched two episodes of filming Sommerset and Avon, and I am incensed by the comments of the people investigating police misconduct. I saw a young woman with her child threatened with Social Services. wrestled to the floor, sprayed with Pava whilst held down by six police officers. I could hear her cries of distress, I could hear the police telling her to ‘let go of your child! (Wouldn’t you hold onto your child at the thought of being separated). The escalation of the incident for the sake of a bus fare was disproportionate. However, comments from the investigating team showed no empathy or understanding of her feelings.
At the end of the programme, despite support for the officers involved, they made a financial settlement and sent a letter of apology.
I saw a young black man arrested for burglary a few hours later he was in A & E with a bleed on the brain. He complained of neck pain and a headache. He pleaded to see a nurse, and all his pleas were ignored. The mother was visibly distressed and shaken at the length of time it took for her son to be seen by medical professionals.
This programme only confirmed for me that institutionalised racism is alive and well in Avon & Sommerset Police. Non of the policemen in the programme faced the consequences for their behaviour.’We have investigated ourselves, and we have no questions to answer’.
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