September 16th 2024.
A video has surfaced that appears to show a police officer striking a young man named Samuel while he is lying face-down on the ground. The incident is currently under investigation by the police watchdog after Samuel, a student, claimed he was assaulted by the officer for no valid reason. It all began when Samuel stopped on Northampton's Barrack Road to give some change to a homeless person. That's when he noticed a man in a hoodie running towards him.
Feeling uneasy, Samuel started running away from the man. However, he immediately stopped as soon as he heard the man identify himself as a police officer. The CCTV footage shows Samuel slowing down and turning to face the officer, who then forcefully slams him into a wooden fence and tackles him to the ground. The officer then proceeds to strike Samuel three times on the side of his torso before a second officer arrives to assist in handcuffing him.
In a video shared on social media, Samuel can be heard saying that he was "beaten up" and "treated like an animal" by the officer, despite cooperating with him. He suffered bruised ribs and a bleeding knee from the incident. He was then taken to a police station where he was subjected to an "enhanced search" before being released. Samuel described the search as "degrading" as he was forced to strip and squat in front of the officers.
The police claim that Samuel was seen exchanging a package, which they suspected to be related to potential drug supply offences. However, he was released with no further action after a "negative search." The force has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct and is conducting an internal review of the incident, including reviewing bodycam footage.
Samuel has filed complaints to both Northamptonshire Police and the IOPC with the help of a solicitor. He stated that he wants to see the officer face some form of disciplinary action. "I asked myself if I would have been treated the same way if I wasn't a person of ethnic minority," he added.
A spokesperson for Northamptonshire Police acknowledged the circulation of the CCTV clip and stated that the stop was made after an individual was seen exchanging a package, which they suspected to be related to drug supply offences. When the officers approached to conduct a search, the man ran away, resulting in a brief pursuit before he was apprehended and taken to the police station for an enhanced search. After the search yielded no evidence, he was released with no further action.
The force also acknowledged the concerns raised by the short video and is currently liaising with Samuel to address his concerns. They also confirmed that the incident is being reviewed internally, including a review of the officers' body-worn video footage.
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