Two Metropolitan Police officers, PC Jonathan Clapham and PC Sam Franks, have been deemed guilty of gross misconduct in connection with the controversial stop and search of Olympic sprinter Ricardo dos Santos, 28, and Team GB athlete Bianca Williams, 29. Dos Santos and Williams filed a complaint with the police watchdog, alleging racial profiling during the incident, which occurred while the couple was traveling home with their three-month-old son after a training session on July 4, 2020.
The officers falsely claimed to have detected the smell of cannabis during the stop and search. Acting Police Sergeant Rachel Simpson, PC Allan Casey, and PC Michael Bond were cleared of any wrongdoing, while PC Jonathan Clapham and PC Sam Franks were found guilty for lying about the grounds for the search. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) argued that the detention of dos Santos and Williams was racially motivated, branding it “excessive, unreasonable, and unjustified.”
The IOPC’s case highlighted broader issues of racial bias within the Metropolitan Police, citing documents and reports indicating a disproportionate targeting of black individuals in stop and search incidents. The officers denied breaching equality and diversity standards during the stop and search. Dos Santos accused the officers of subjecting him to “driving while black” and expressed fear for his family’s safety during the encounter.
The panel will determine the punishment for PCs Clapham and Franks on Friday.
