By Humberside Officer guilty of Gross Misconduct after using ‘excessive force’
Following a three-day misconduct hearing at the Old Magistrates’ Building in Goole, two incidents involving a police officer have both amounted to Gross Misconduct.
Henry Green, 28, has been found to have breached the standards of professional behaviour in respect of use of force when he attended a report of fraud and theft involving two men and a woman at a supermarket on Newland Avenue in June 2019.
PC Green arrested and handcuffed the woman and one of the men inside the store before assaulting both the man and woman in handcuffs.
He punched the man in the face whilst holding a pair of metal cuffs and caused the woman to fall to the floor.
An internal investigation was launched by the Force’s Professional Standards Department (PSD) following the incident, however paused due to a criminal investigation that was also to be carried out by Humberside Police.
PC Green was charged with two counts of Common Assault and was due to appear at York’s Magistrates’ Court in 2020. The court date was postponed on multiple occasions and was finally heard in December 2021 where he was found not guilty of the offences.
The internal investigation recommenced following conclusion of court proceedings and resulted in the three-day Misconduct Hearing, where he has been found to have breached the standards of professional behaviour by using excessive force.
The Misconduct Panel, made up of a Legally Qualified Chair, Police Superintendent and Independent person, have adjourned the outcome decision in respect of PC Green’s employment with the force until Monday 25th July.
Head of PSD, Detective Superintendent Matt Baldwin, said: “We expect all of our officers and staff to always act with the utmost integrity and professionalism, only using force if absolutely necessary in their line of duty.
“Henry Green displayed an excessive use of force during this incident. The force used was unnecessary, disproportionate and unjustifiable. His actions and conduct that day were completely unacceptable and utterly discreditable, falling way below the standards we expect of our officers.
“He was removed from his role and duties where there would be contact with the public immediately after the incident and placed in a non-operational role, pending the criminal and internal investigation. His position in the Force will now be reconsidered until the Panel make a decision on the 25th July.
“We will not accept any officer or member of staff behaving in a way that fails to uphold or maintain their responsibility to serve and protect the public in the Humberside area. It is of paramount importance that we maintain the public’s trust and confidence by dealing with officers who behave in a way that undermines this.”
