Jamar Powell: Met Police officer who put Taser to Black teenager's neck during stop given final warning

A Metropolitan Police serviceman who ordered a Black teen to kneel connected the thoroughfare earlier pressing a Taser to his cervix has been fixed a last warning.

PC Connor Jones threatened Jamar Powell, who was aged 16, and warned if helium moved during the stop-and-search successful Greenwich, a 50,000-volt stun weapon would beryllium deployed, the Met Police said.

A police watchdog has said determination was nary request for the Taser to beryllium placed connected the teenager’s cervix to enactment handcuffs connected him during the hunt connected September 4, 2020.

The IOPC recovered determination had been gross misconduct and gave PC Jones a last written warning, which volition beryllium successful spot for 3 years.

But the watchdog said determination was not capable grounds to beryllium that PC Jones’ actions were influenced by Jamar’s ethnicity.

The IOPC concluded determination was nary breach of the modular of nonrecreational behaviour relating to equality and diverseness pursuing an 11-month investigation.

It besides recovered that PC Jones did not breach the modular of usage of unit by threatening Jamar that if helium moved helium would beryllium Tasered.

Scotland Yard has already paid “substantial” damages to Jamar implicit the incidental which was filmed and wide shared connected societal media.

PC Jones was 1 of 2 officers who initially stopped 5 teenagers portion responding to a study of a lad carrying a samurai sword and chasing 2 different boys connected Armitage Road.

The fishy was described arsenic Black, wearing an all-black tracksuit with the hood up.  

At astir 10.50pm connected the time of the incidental a radical of 4 Black boys, including Jamar, and 1 White boy, were stopped by PC Jones and the different officer. 

Officers drew their Tasers and aimed the reddish dot astatine Jamar, handcuffed him portion helium was connected his knees successful the roadworthy and, it was alleged, PC Jones held a Taser against his neck, which the serviceman denied. 

Firearms officers besides attended the incidental and the 5 boys were past released erstwhile nary limb was found.

The teen told the Guardian past twelvemonth that helium thought helium was going to dice aft being surrounded and handcuffed by officers - including immoderate who were holding firearms.

Police said astatine the clip they responded to reports of a hooded antheral dressed successful a achromatic tracksuit who was equipped with a samurai sword and threatening radical astatine astir 11pm.

Jamar wasn’t wearing acheronian clothing, nor a hood. He had been walking with 4 friends, 1 White and 3 Black.

The Black youths were searched but the White boy, who filmed the encounter, was not until later.

The IOPC was incapable to look astatine constabulary body-worn video from the 2 officers, the watchdog said.

PC Jones did not activate his assemblage worn camera and the Met Police was incapable to supply the IOPC with the different officer’s body-worn video. 

Instead, the 2nd serviceman explained that aft they stopped the group, Jamar attempted to locomotion distant from them.  

A disciplinary sheet agreed that the officer’s enactment successful pressing the Taser against Jamar’s cervix was not necessary, tenable oregon proportionate and breached the constabulary standards of nonrecreational behaviour relating to usage of unit and authority, respect and courtesy. 

IOPC determination manager Mel Palmer said: “When utilized correctly, halt and hunt is simply a precise utile constituent of the policing toolkit. But it indispensable beryllium utilized reasonably and proportionately. 

“There was nary request for the Taser to beryllium placed connected Jamar’s cervix to handcuff him erstwhile helium was already kneeling successful the road, with his hands intelligibly disposable and placed connected his head. 

“This would nary uncertainty person been a frightening acquisition for Jamar, with officers equipped with firearms and Tasers, and PC Jones’ behaviour was oppressive and bullying.

“He denied pressing his Taser against Jamar’s neck, however, aft proceeding the evidence, the sheet recovered that helium did what was alleged and that this usage of unit was not justified, proportionate oregon necessary.”

The incidental was besides investigated by the Met Police pursuing a ailment by Jamar’s family. 

The Met Police’s study successful December 2020 recovered that nary serviceman should look immoderate disciplinary proceedings.

A petition for a reappraisal of the MPS probe and its result was aboriginal submitted to the IOPC.

In December past year, the Crown Prosecution Service rejected an IOPC petition to see a transgression charge.

Jamar said past August: “I deliberation they decidedly don’t person a hint however it affects america connected an affectional level. I deliberation they conscionable spot it arsenic they are doing their occupation and this is their ever day.

“But for us, you tin conscionable beryllium walking down the roadworthy with your friends and present you’re going done this traumatic experience. You got guns and Tasers pointed astatine you, that’s going to alteration you for the remainder of your life.“

Jamar sued for mendacious imprisonment, battle and battery, nonstop discrimination, radical harassment and breaches of the Human Rights Act. The Met denied the claims but the lawsuit was settled earlier a afloat proceedings was owed to instrumentality place.

A constabulary spokesperson said astatine the time: “During the hunt Taser was drawn and 1 lad was red-dot challenged, however, Taser was not discharged.

“We recognise this would person been a frightening acquisition for the teenage boy.

“We volition beryllium speaking to section assemblage groups astir the incidental and the constabulary effect to reassure them.

“We volition beryllium apologising to the lad and his household and [have] settled a civilian claim.”