Police officer wanted black dummy to 'stamp on its head'

Former Police Constable Adam Brown was the subject of a West Yorkshire Police misconduct hearing on December 18 last year, with a report published this month.

It related to an allegation that when Brown was referring to a resuscitation mannequin/dummy on September 29, 2022 he said “can I have the black one so I can stamp on its head”, or words to that effect.

Six officers who spoke at the hearing and others who provided witness statements challenged and reported Brown’s comments.

They had only completed three weeks of training at the time and were new in their policing careers and “finding their feet”, according to the report.

The panel commended them and said: “We find that they demonstrated qualities of integrity and moral courage expected of police officers.”

The panel found the allegation was proved and that the former officer would have been dismissed for gross misconduct if he had still been with the force.

His action was described as “serious” and the “comment was conscious, deliberate and displayed discriminatory behaviour”, according to the report.

It added: “He clearly used racist language advocating violence which has the potential to cause serious harm to those who might have heard it and had the very real potential to affect the professional reputation of West Yorkshire Police and policing as a whole and undermine public confidence and we find that his behaviour clearly did so in the opinion of the witnesses from whom we heard evidence.”

This touched a matter “of national concern”, according to the report.

Brown resigned from the profession before the hearing but was a serving officer when he was sent a written notice that the case had been referred to misconduct proceedings.

The former officer denied the allegation and that his conduct breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour.

His written statement was considered by the panel, but Brown did not attend the hearing, submit any evidence, and was unrepresented.

PC Mark Claxton was present as his Federation Representative.

The panel also considered the Appropriate Authority’s (AA) evidence which included the investigating officer’s report, witness statements, emails, and interview transcripts, as well as Ian Mullarkey, who represented the AA.

The report said: “We find the evidence to be overwhelming and find the six witnesses from whom we heard oral evidence to be credible and consistent in their accounts.”

It added: “We found the witnesses to be measured and that they had not made any attempt to embellish their accounts.

“All the witnesses were present when the comments were made and all confirm that they have no doubt it was said by the Officer.”

Brown declined to respond to questions at the interview in relation to the comment, other than to deny it, according to the report.

He offered no mitigation and the panel found he displayed no remorse and made no apology.