Met Police: IOPC to investigate water pistol response

An internal investigation by the Met Police found no misconduct had been committed

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) will launch an investigation after a 13-year-old boy was surrounded by armed police when his water pistol was mistaken for a gun.

The boy, who is black, was "rammed" off his bike, handcuffed and confronted by marksmen in Hackney in July.

The IOPC initially said the Met should investigate the complaint, but has now pledged to launch its own inquiry after the boy's mother raised concerns.

The Met apologised for "trauma" caused.

• Boy with water pistol confronted by armed police

The boy was having a water fight with his sibling on 19 July when a police officer on patrol reported a potential firearms incident, campaign group the Alliance for Police Accountability (APA) said.

A police van then knocked the boy off his bicycle, the APA said, before he was "surrounded by armed police officers who pointed their firearms at him" and arrested on suspicion of being in possession of a firearm.

He was "de-arrested" at the scene soon afterwards, the APA said.

IOPC regional director for London Charmaine Arbouin said "it is right" that the "distressing incident" is investigated.

"In the light of the mother's statement yesterday (Thursday), and the concerns that have been expressed by the local community in Hackney and more widely, we've reconsidered our decision and will now investigate this independently," she said.

"We've spoken to the Met and they understand our decision to investigate this independently will enhance transparency.

"We appreciate how upsetting this has been for the family and I hope this will provide assurance to the child's mother's that she has been heard."

'Let down and betrayed'

Ms Arbouin said the IOPC initially decided that the Met should investigate because they believed it was "right for the family".

"We understood that their preference was to get it resolved with the force itself without involving us, and that the Met were comfortable with this," she said.

Ms Arbouin added that the IOPC was confident the Met took the complaint seriously.

On Thursday, the boy's mother said that she felt "let down and betrayed" by the Met Police and the IOPC.

An internal investigation by the police force found no misconduct had been committed by the officers involved.

A further complaint accusing them of racial bias is still being investigated by the Met's Directorate for Professional Standards.

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