Officer Slaps Taser on Teen’s Neck During Stop and Search
A police officer has been slapped with a final written warning after a disciplinary panel ruled his use of force during a stop and search was “not necessary, reasonable or proportionate.” PC Connor Jones, based in Lewisham, faced a misconduct hearing that ended on Friday, 20 September.
Shocking Taser Incident in Greenwich
The incident took place on 4 September 2020 in Greenwich. PC Jones stopped a 16-year-old boy and pressed his Taser against the teen’s neck, warning he would fire if the boy moved. The panel slammed this move as “unreasonable.” No weapons were found, and the boy was handcuffed and kneeling at the time.
Jones also bungled procedure, failing to properly log the use of force and losing the body-worn camera footage due to technical faults.
No Evidence of Racial Bias
While the boy was black, the panel cleared Jones of any racial misconduct. They found no breach of equality or diversity standards. The original stop stemmed from reports of a young male armed with a samurai knife chasing boys in the area.
Apologies and Warnings as Force Must Be “Focused and Appropriate”
Chief Superintendent Trevor Lawry admitted the incident caused distress and repeated the force’s apology to the boy and his family. He said: “We recognise the impact this incident has had. We have previously apologised for the trauma caused and we repeat that apology today.”
Lawry stressed stop and search remains vital in tackling knife crime but must be done with care to keep public trust.
After an initial Met investigation rejected the complaint, the Independent Office for Police Conduct stepped in and pushed for the gross misconduct hearing that led to the final written warning – which will remain on Jones’ record for three years.
