Two police officers involved in an incident in which a race relations adviser was Tasered have been served with gross misconduct notices.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has told the pair that their conduct is under investigation after Judah Adunbi, 63, was Tasered by police outside his home in Bristol in January when officers apparently mistook him for a wanted man.
The incident was acutely embarrassing as Adunbi has sat on Bristol’s independent advisory group, which is designed to forge links between the police and the community, and has also worked with the Crown Prosecution Service’s local community involvement panel.
Video footage recorded by a neighbour shows police scuffling with Adunbi as he tried to get through the gate of his home in the Easton area. He falls to the ground after a Taser is discharged. Adunbi said later he thought he was going to die.
On Wednesday the IPCC said: “Having carefully considered the evidence gathered so far, the IPCC has served two officers with gross misconduct notices advising them that their conduct is under investigation.
“As part of the investigation, we have conducted house-to-house inquiries, obtained statements from a number of witnesses and collected guidance, procedures and policies over the use of the Taser.
“We have viewed body-worn camera footage worn by the officers involved in the incident, and obtained statements from the officers, along with police logs. The IPCC also held a meeting in Bristol last week with a number of invited community representatives.”
Cindy Butts, an IPCC commissioner, said: “The incident in which Mr Adunbi was Tasered has attracted significant community concern and I am grateful to the representatives for their attendance last week and their honest and frank contributions.
“We would reassure them that we are conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident. The investigation is making positive progress and we are continuing to review evidence regarding the appropriateness of Taser use in the circumstances.”
Serving a notice advises an officer or member of police staff that their conduct is subject to investigation – such notices are not judgmental in any way. Avon and Somerset constabulary voluntarily referred the matter to the IPCC.
Adunbi said he feared for his life. “I felt that was it,” he said. “Because of the way I fell back. The way I fell backward on the back of my head. I was just paralysed. I thought that was it. I thought they were taking my life.”