11 replies to this topic

[recovery man]

Three Enfield police officers accused of "waterboarding" a suspect will face no further action after the main witness refused to give evidence.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) began investigating several corruption allegations after the incident in 2008.

A suspected drug dealer allegedly had his head held down a toilet at a property in Brantwood Road, Tottenham.

But the misconduct action has now been halted by the IPCC.

Criminal charges were dropped in 2010 due to a lack of evidence.

Prosecutors and the IPCC have both launched inquiries into claims of corruption by members of the Enfield crime squad.

Police have also faced claims that they assaulted suspects and took their property, including a Mercedes car, for their own use.

The misconduct hearing had focused only on the lavatory incident, which the suspected drug dealer described as a waterboarding.

'Regrettable' Police had been accused of flushing the toilet once his head was inside the bowl.

IPCC commissioner Mike Franklin said: "This particular investigation was solely looking at the incident in Brantwood Road and not other incidents involving Enfield crime squad.

"The IPCC was in the process of consulting those involved in the search with a view to holding a misconduct hearing for the three officers in public.

"Powers provide for the IPCC to direct a force to hold a misconduct hearing in public if it is in the public interest to do so because of the gravity of the case."

He continued: "Regrettably, in this particular case, the main witness has declined to provide their evidence to a hearing.

"It is therefore unfortunate that the Metropolitan Police Service will now not be able to hold misconduct proceedings as previously planned."

Waterboarding was used on prisoners by the US Bush administration as an "enhanced interrogation technique", although many regard it as torture.

It involves a prisoner being hung upside down with water poured into his nose and mouth to simulate drowning.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...london-17387615 i remember this case when it was first came to light now case over for the three officers.

[Stratos]

Waterboarding is simulated drowning and extremely unpleasant for those subjected to it.

It's deeply unsettling that police would even be accused of such a thing and I do hope that there isn't anything to it, and this was simply a malicious accusation. Otherwise I'd be very worried we have officers out there who would do that to someone.

Edited by Stratos, 15 March 2012 - 10:31 PM.

[MerseyLLB]

All I will say is I have had several people I have got into conversation with tell me that '...Ive been beaten up by the police loads of times. They gave me a kicking in the back of the van. Another time five of them kicked the s**t out of me in the cells..' I just nodded politely, said 'Oh right'. Finished the conversation and avoided that person like the plague for the rest of the night, as liars cause trouble!

So it doesn't surprise me that the allegations have been made. However Enfield Crime Squad does have an AWFUL reputation!

-1 by yet another person who has misread my post. To clarify I do not believe these people who claim these regular rough justice sessions occur, especially in custody which CCTV and audio recorded!

Edited by MerseyLLB, 15 March 2012 - 10:42 PM.

[Jay P]

Waterboarding is not putting someones head down a toilet. It is a little more complicated than that.

[roger_that]

Enfield crime squad doesn't really have an awful reputation does it? How so ?

[MerseyLLB]

Most publicly this and the 'baseball bat car smash' video.

However there are, unsubstantiated and possibly malicious, rumours among locals of the crime squad heavy handedness and impropriety.

I am not saying they are a badly performing unit. Anymore than I would call TSG knuckledraggers or call PCSOs a total waste of time.
However unearned a reputation is a reputation.

[crunchybits]

Unfortunately the CPS state that the events as described could not have happened. http://www.bbc.co.uk...london-12060744 So perhaps the IPCC were investigating a completely bogus claim yet this has been splashed all over the media for ages. The allegation was made 5 years ago in Nov 2008 - a very poor state of affairs - why so long to resolve.

Whilst we are on the subject of reputations there seems to be a perception that all the police do is hide and stick people on for speeding. More people die in the bath than die following police conduct yet people will bring up cases from years ago and recite this to officers. Fine - certain police officers do a lousy job but we don't denigrate all plumbers because a few charge outrageous prices.

Meanwhile back in the real world - 'I' calls beckon...some people clearly want out attention right now...

[DGP]

As has been said, sticking the head of a drug dealer down the toilet and giving it a quick flush cannot be compared to water boarding, either in terms of it being simulated drowning or in terms of it being torture.

It sounds like they were a unit that was out of control.

However, nothing has been proven. You would have thought that they would have deployed hidden cameras, tapped phone calls, tracked property and subjected the officers to considerable scrutiny.

And, still, nothing. It just sounds like they were a little bit naughty.

[CmdKeen]

As has been said, sticking the head of a drug dealer down the toilet and giving it a quick flush cannot be compared to water boarding, either in terms of it being simulated drowning or in terms of it being torture.

It sounds like they were a unit that was out of control.

However, nothing has been proven. You would have thought that they would have deployed hidden cameras, tapped phone calls, tracked property and subjected the officers to considerable scrutiny.

And, still, nothing. It just sounds like they were a little bit naughty.

Good job there isn't a -1 button any more, because I'd be reaching for it...

You can't say "they sound like a unit that was out of control" on the basis of an allegation that was thrown out!

You also can't say "it just sounds like they were a bit naughty" on the basis the flushing a head down a toilet isn't waterboarding. I'd still expect any officer responsible for such an action to get the sack.

[Fenix]

I personally love how the IPCC people say it's "regrettable" that the case has collapsed.... if the "witness" concerned doesn't want to give evidence because it's completely made up in the first place, then I wouldn't describe that as regrettable!

[HerrComm]

This seems relevent for an illustration of waterboarding, the late Christopher Hitchens experiencing it. As can be seen it is something of a "multi-layered" process with total sensory deprivation being achieved by blindfolding and having loud music playing.

[Winkworth]

Waterboarding is not putting someones head down a toilet. It is a little more complicated than that.

I agree.

Up until the late 1980s, it was standard practice for the BTP to wake up drunks, who were very inebriated and reluctant to wake, late at night on the London Underground with a slosh of water from the nearest fire bucket.

Edited by Winkworth, 19 March 2012 - 10:25 PM.