Two Met officers sacked over strip search of 15-year-old black girl
Two Metropolitan Police officers have been sacked for gross misconduct following the strip search of a 15-year-old black girl.
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The Met found two officers guilty of gross misconduct and a third guilty of misconduct over the search of Child Q.
The incident saw Child Q searched at her school in Hackney, east London, in December 2020 after school staff reported a 'smell of cannabis'.
Trainee detective constable Kristina Linge and Pc Rafal Szmydynski were sacked today after a disciplinary panel found their actions over the "disproportionate" and "humiliating" strip search of the girl amounted to gross misconduct.
The search of Child Q was described as "unjustified", "inappropriate", "humiliating" and "degrading".
Staff at the school had called the police following concerns that a 15-year-old girl smelled strongly of cannabis and may have been in possession of drugs.
The two officers then conducted a thorough search of the girl in the medical room at the school, exposing her intimate parts.
No drugs were found.
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The panel heard that black schoolchildren were more likely to be treated as older and less vulnerable than their white peers.
The hearing did not find that the officers were influenced by Child Q’s race, nor that was she subject to adultification.
Panel chair Cdr Jason Prins said the search "was improper and conducted without an appropriate adult".
He added that Child Q's position as a "vulnerable or a potentially exploited child was not adequately considered".
Pc Victoria Wray, who was found to have committed misconduct for her role in the incident, was given a final written warning by the panel sitting in south-east London.
Commander Kevin Southworth said: “The experience of Child Q should never have happened and was truly regrettable. “We have sincerely apologised to Child Q since this incident happened.
"Again, I am deeply sorry to Child Q and her family for the trauma that we caused her, and the damage this incident caused to the trust and confidence Black communities across London have in our officers. “While the officers involved did not act correctly, we acknowledge there were organisational failings.
"Training to our officers around strip search and the type of search carried out on Child Q was inadequate, and our oversight of the power was also severely lacking.
“This left officers, often young in service or junior in rank, making difficult decisions in complex situations with little information, support or clear resources to help their decision-making.
“What happened to Child Q was a catalyst for change both for the Met and for policing nationally.
“While we should not have needed an incident such as Child Q to check our approach, it has absolutely led us to improving our processes and significantly reducing the number of these types of searches carried out.
“It’s crucial we get this right to ensure the impact on young people is minimised as far as possible.
“Sadly, we know there are children in London being exploited to carry drugs and weapons for others as well as involved in criminality, so these types of searches have to remain within police powers.
"The work we have done since Child Q means we now have the right safeguards in place.”