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A panel has found that two Metropolitan Police officers committed gross misconduct during the “humiliating” strip-search of a 15-year-old schoolgirl named Child Q. The trainee Det Con Kristina Linge and PC Rafal Szmydynski were found to have committed the case, while PC Victoria Wray’s actions were considered misconduct. Child Q, a black schoolgirl, was searched at her school in Hackney, east London in December 2020 after being wrongly suspected of possessing cannabis.
During the hearing, the search of Child Q was described as unjustified, inappropriate, disproportionate, humiliating, and degrading. The panel chair Cdr Jason Prins stated that the search was improper, conducted without an appropriate adult present, and did not adequately consider Child Q’s position as a vulnerable or potentially exploited child. Child Q, who was on her period during the search, felt demeaned, physically violated, and did not give evidence at the hearing due to the psychological effects of the strip-search on her.
The officers failed to obtain authorization at the sergeant level or higher before conducting the search, contrary to police policy. The Independent Office for Police Conduct deemed the decision to strip-search Child Q for suspicion of possessing a small amount of cannabis as completely disproportionate. While black people were found to be disproportionately stopped and searched by the police, the panel did not accept that the less favorable treatment was due to the girl’s race. Details of Child Q’s case were released in a safeguarding report in 2022, highlighting the unjustified nature of the search and the likely influence of racism.
The incident involving Child Q sparked widespread protests and calls for urgent action from the government. Many individuals, including Tanya Obeng and Prof Louise Owusu-Kwarteng, expressed their concerns about the treatment of black children within the education system. Cdr Southworth stated that the search of Child Q served as a “catalyst for change” within the police force, leading to improvements in processes and a significant reduction in similar types of searches being carried out
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