Met Police officers who strip-searched a black schoolgirl while she was on her period are SACKED

Two Metropolitan Police officers who strip-searched a 15-year-old black schoolgirl while she was on her period have been sacked for gross misconduct.

The girl, known as Child Q, was searched at a school in Hackney, east London on December 3, 2020, by officers after she was wrongly suspected of carrying cannabis.

The 'traumatic' police search involved the removal of Child Q's clothing, including her underwear, her bending over and having to expose intimate parts of her body, the police disciplinary panel heard

Authorisation was not sought for the intimate search, which left the teenager feeling 'demeaned' and 'physically violated', while no appropriate adult was present. Child Q's mother was also not informed of the situation.

The misconduct panel concluded that the strip search was 'disproportionate, inappropriate and unnecessary', while also adding the incident had caused 'enormous harm' to the child as well as 'significant harm to the community in trusting the police'.

Earlier today, the panel ruled the actions of Trainee Detective Constable Kristina Linge and Police Constable Rafal Szmydynski amounted to gross misconduct and they were dismissed without notice.

It was concluded that they failed to ensure that an appropriate adult was present during the strip search - as is required when a minor is involved - and for not seeking senior officer authorisation beforehand.

They also failed to provide the girl with a copy of the search record, in direct breach of police policy and training.

The misconduct panel concluded the officers did not respect the girl's rights as a child and failed to give her the protection she was entitled to under the law.

A third officer, PC Victoria Wray, who was a probationary officer at the time and had arrived after key decisions had been made, was also found to have committed misconduct.

The panel concluded she failed to question whether the search was proportionate or to check if it had been properly authorised.

She too breached police standards relating to duties and responsibilities, authority, respect and courtesy, and following orders and instructions. She was given a final written warning.

However, the panel did not find that any of the officers had breached standards relating to equality and diversity, or honesty and integrity.

The four-week disciplinary hearing was led by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and chaired by Met Commander Jason Prins.

Panel chairman Commander Jason Prins said: 'There has been enormous harm to Child Q and significant harm to the community in trusting the police.'

He added 'this is a very high harm case' and given the 'extremely serious findings' made by the panel 'the only appropriate outcome is dismissal without notice'.

And while he described the incident as 'a disastrous and negative interaction' between police and a black teenager, he said race had not been the reason why Child Q was treated so badly.

Commander Prins added it was 'a case where officers adopted a simplistic approach' to a sensitive matter and they did not follow the training they were given.

Authorisation was not sought and the situation 'cried out for advice and input', he added.

Child Q did not give evidence at the four-week hearing 'because of the psychological effects that this strip search has had on her', the panel heard.

In 2022 the incident sparked protests on the streets where they were heard chanting 'no justice, no peace, abolish the police' and 'racist cops, out of schools'.

They also held up signs reading 'no to racist police, justice for Child Q' and 'we say no to police in schools', as well as Black Lives Matter banners.

Demonstrators were captured on video, later shared to social media, chanting 'shame on you' at officers outside the station.

A protester from Catcalls of London, an Instagram-based awareness group, wrote messages in multi-coloured chalk on the pavement, with one reading: 'Dearest Child Q, the systems designed to protect you failed you.

'We see you. We stand here for you. We are with you.'

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.'

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