Public urged not to judge police on CCTV footage

Footage of a man being restrained by officers in a holding cell was posted online last Thursday

Guernsey Police have urged the public not to judge officers' actions based on "edited versions of CCTV" circulated on social media of a man being restrained.

Officers said people had been commenting without being aware of the "full facts" of the footage first posted on X, formerly Twitter, last Thursday showing the man and several officers in a holding cell.

Guernsey Police said: "The footage released is an edited, standalone clip, which, when viewed without surrounding context does, we acknowledge, show officers using force in a way which could cause distress to those who have seen it."

Police said they could only share limited information because of ongoing investigations, but wanted to "provide as much information as possible to try and maintain public confidence".

The footage has since been widely shared on other social media networks.

Police said the man had been arrested for violent offences, including grievous bodily harm and had since received a prison sentence.

They said he had been violent when he was brought to the station and was therefore taken straight to his cell.

Officers said: "The footage does not show what happened prior to and following this intervention.

"But police must, on occasions, work with members of our community who will not comply with reasonable requests in order to ensure a safe and secure custody environment."

They said the service was "often faced with accusations which leave us in the position of wishing we could give more of an explanation and provide all of the context we hold, but are unable to do so because of our role as a public authority, and the very high standards we are rightly held to".

Police said the matter had been brought to the attention of the local Professional Standards Department and it would "take all appropriate steps if there is any inference of misconduct".