THE cop who Tasered a 14-year-old boy has been removed from frontline duties.
Outrage erupted after footage emerged of a boy, who appeared to be wearing a school uniform, was seen lying on the ground after being taken down by police – with witnesses screaming in horror.
SWNSCops were called to an address on Monday following a ‘neighbour row’ where a boy, 14, ended up being Tasered[/caption]
SWNSHe was also put into a headlock by the same officer[/caption]
Officers had been called to the address in Hodge Hill, Birmingham, on Monday after reports of a civil matter between neighbours.
But the situation descended into chaos, with horrifying footage showing a West Midlands Police (WMP) officer grab a teenager and put him in a headlock.
Onlookers screamed: “Get off him, get off him,” as the boy manages to break free from the copper’s grip.
The same officer then points his Taser at the schoolboy before zapping him – causing him to fall to the grass.
In the hard-to-watch clip, the boy’s legs start twitching as he lays helplessly on the grass.
A woman in the background, who seems to be his mum, can be heard shouting “he’s 14” and “what the f**k have you done to my son”.
The officer tells the boy not to move and to put his hands behind his back.
Terrified people can be heard pleading “watch his asthma, look he can’t breathe, he’s a child.”
The cop then yells at witnesses to stay back before adding: “I don’t care, I don’t care.”
The force revealed today the officer involved has since been removed from frontline duties pending an investigation.
A referral has also made to the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
A 37-year-old man and a 14-year-old boy who were arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer have been bailed pending further enquiries.
A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: “Following the arrest of a 37-year-old man and a teenage boy for assaulting a police officer in Kempson Road on Monday, both have been released on police bail with strict conditions while our enquiries continue.
“During the incident, the 14-year-old boy was Tasered.
“The officer concerned has been removed from frontline duties while the incident is investigated.
“We understand the depth of feeling from members of the public who have viewed footage of the encounter online, and we are reviewing this alongside body-worn footage of the incident in its entirety to determine any wrongdoing.
“The matter has also been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to consider if they wish to conduct an independent investigation.”
The footage has been viewed thousands of times on social media after being obtained and uploaded by the Birmz is Grime blog.
Web users were divided about the police’s tactics with one person writing: “That’s a bit heavy-handed to say the least considering he is only a kid.”
Another added: “This boy posed no threat at all had no weapon that warrants this behaviour from the police.”
A third said: “A Taser is potentially a lethal weapon that can kill.
“This is clearly a child in school uniform the only point in which it would have been acceptable to Taser him was if he pulled a knife or a gun and the copper felt his life was in danger in that scenario this would have been fair game.
“He was clearly in no danger so has abused his power.”
Another added: “If you can’t handle a 14 yr old kid in a school uniform who poses no threat to life and have to Taser him while with another police officer, you both probably should not be a Bobby.”
However, one person commented: “There would need to be a legitimate reason for him to have been restrained. 2 officers with a group of people who are getting challenging.
“They have to remove the challenge before they end up on the floor outnumbered.”
Police said earlier this week their officers were faced with a “hostile crowd” after they tried to “diffuse the situation”.
A police spokesperson added: “One of the officers tried to arrest the suspect, but he resisted and the officer was further attacked by another man.”
SWNSCops have since said the teenager and a man have been arrested[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
