A Metropolitan Police officer who allegedly ordered a black teenager to kneel in the street before pressing a Taser to his neck is facing a gross misconduct hearing.
PC Connor Jones is said to have threatened Jamar Powell, 16, that if he moved during the stop-and-search, a 50,000-volt stun gun would be deployed on September 4, 2020, the force said.
Jones’ actions were racially-motivated, “not necessary, reasonable or proportionate” and a breach of professional standards, it added.
He failed to act with self-control, tolerance or treat Jamar with courtesy and respect in an abuse of his powers and authority, according to a notice of the four-day hearing due to start on September 16.
It alleges: “The officer’s actions were influenced by the ethnicity of Powell and the officer improperly assumed that [he] was a greater threat than he was because he is black contrary to the standard of professional behaviour equality and diversity.”
Scotland Yard has already paid “substantial” damages to Jamar over the incident which was filmed and was widely shared on social media.
The teenager told the Guardian last year that thought he was going to die after being surrounded and handcuffed by officers - some holding firearms - in Greenwich, south east London.
Police said at the time they responded to reports of a hooded man dressed in a black tracksuit who was armed with a samurai sword and threatening people at about 11pm.
Jamar wasn’t wearing dark clothing, nor a hood. He had been walking with four friends, one white and three black.
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The black youths were searched but the white one, who filmed the encounter, was not until later. All were let go after searches.
Jamar’s mother Rachel Hewitt accused the Met of a “cover up” after subsequent complaints were dismissed by a senior officer.
She told Channel 4 News last year: “He just wanted to brush it under the carpet and just hope that I would go away.”
After the Met found no wrongdoing, the family’s solicitor complained to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
In May 2022, the IOPC decided one officer had a case to answer for gross misconduct for their use of force and alleged discrimination and a second officer should face misconduct proceedings over the stop-and-search.
The watchdog has taken the unusual decision to present the case against Jones before his misconduct panel, which if proven could lead to dismissal without notice.
An IOPC spokesman told the Standard on Tuesday: “We consider that to do so is in the public interest and should enhance public confidence in the police complaints process.
“It will be for the disciplinary panel, led by an independent legally qualified chair, to determine whether or not the gross misconduct allegations against the officer are proven.”
In December last year, the Crown Prosecution Service rejected an IOPC request to consider a criminal charge.
Jamar said last August: “I think they definitely don’t have a clue how it affects us on an emotional level. I think they just see it as they are doing their job and this is their ever day.
Jamar Powell speaks to the media about the incident in Greenwich
Channel 4 News
“But for us, you can just be walking down the road with your friends and now you’re going through this traumatic experience. You got guns and Tasers pointed at you, that’s going to change you for the rest of your life.“
Jamar sued for false imprisonment, assault and battery, direct discrimination, racial harassment and breaches of the Human Rights Act. The Met denied the claims but the case was settled before a full trial was due to take place.
A police spokesman said at the time: “During the search Taser was drawn and one boy was red-dot challenged, however, Taser was not discharged.
“We recognise this would have been a frightening experience for the teenage boy.
“We will be speaking to local community groups about the incident and the police response to reassure them.
“We will be apologising to the boy and his family and [have] settled a civil claim.”
The Met was approached by the Standard for further comment.
